The key facts

  • The Zarasai district of Lithuania plans to move the burial site of Soviet soldiers from the center of Antalieptė to a cemetery
  • €110 thousand has been allocated for the tender; between 272 and 340 servicemen may be buried near the church
  • The authorities link the decision to the law banning the 'propaganda of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes'

Tender for relocating a burial site

The authorities of the Zarasai district in Lithuania plan to move the burial site of Soviet soldiers from the Second World War era from the center of the town of Antalieptė to a cemetery. This was reported by LRT, which is cited by Gazeta.Ru. The municipal administration has initiated a public procurement procedure aimed at relocating the remains and properly arranging the burials at the new site.

Tender details and rationale

The tender allocates €110 thousand for the work. According to the publication, between 272 and 340 Soviet servicemen may be buried near the church. District authorities stated that the reburial is being carried out in accordance with the Lithuanian law banning the 'propaganda of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes' and their ideologies in public spaces.

Context

The Lithuanian authorities' decision fits into a broader context of changes surrounding Soviet military monuments in the region. Former Member of the European Parliament from Latvia Andrey Mamykin previously reported that unknown vandals near Riga broke a monument at the grave of Red Army soldiers. In his view, the perpetrators used heavy machinery: the impact was so strong that the multi-ton granite stone split in two. In addition, Moldova previously called for the demolition of Soviet monuments.

Why this matters

The relocation affects the memory of dozens, and possibly hundreds, of fallen servicemen: we are talking about 272–340 people buried near the church. For the residents of Antalieptė, this means the military burial site effectively disappearing from the town center, and for the relatives of the fallen, a change in the place where they can come to pay their respects. In practical terms, the decision has already been formalized as a public procurement with a budget of €110 thousand, meaning the work has moved from the discussion stage to the implementation stage. The sources do not report the timeline for the work or reactions to the relocation.