Vilnius plans to remove Soviet sculptures from Antakalnis Cemetery in September

The Vilnius authorities plan to remove the Soviet sculptures at Antakalnis Cemetery in September, the Vilnius municipality informed BNS.

A council resolution on taking over the sculptures is now being drafted, it said.

"Once the resolution is adopted and the sculptures are taken over, their removal will be carried out quickly. Grinda (a municipal enterprise – BNS) has already carried out a market consultation on the method of removal and is ready to carry out the work. A council meeting is scheduled for September 14," the municipality said.

The removal of the six grey granite statues of Soviet WWII soldiers was unanimously backed by Vilnius politicians in early June after heritage protection specialists removed the statues from the register of immovable cultural property.

Soviet statues have also been removed by other municipalities in Lithuania.