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Russian FM urges Council of Europe to give its opinion of Ukraine’s decommunization law

The package of decommunization laws adopted by Kiev outlaws Soviet symbols, condemns the Communist regime and opens access to the archives of Soviet security services
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Oksana Toskic/TASS
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
© Oksana Toskic/TASS

MOSCOW, May 19. /TASS/. The Council of Europe should appraise Kiev’s recent legislation, including the law on the so-called decommunization, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday.

The package of decommunization laws adopted by Kiev outlaws Soviet symbols, condemns the Communist regime, opens access to the archives of Soviet security services and recognizes Ukraine’s Insurgent Army (UPA) that fought against Soviet troops during WWII as "fighters for the country's independence," according to the Ukrainian president’s press office.

"We consider it necessary for the Council of Europe to give an opinion of laws that Kiev is adopting, including the laws on decommunization and glorification of Nazi henchmen," Lavrov said at a session of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.

"The attempts to rewrite the results of World War Two and the Nuremberg Trial verdict defy the values that provide the basis for the activity of our organization and are sealed in the UN Charter," the Russian foreign minister sad.

The 70th anniversary of the allied Victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, which "we recently celebrated, including in Strasbourg, is an event of universal human scope," Lavrov said.

"We must not allow betraying the spirit of allied struggle against Nazism or undermining solidarity in today’s actions for the purpose of securing peace and security on the continent," the Russian foreign minister said.