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Lavrov censures Europe for turning blind eye to war against monuments

Western countries are greenlighting the spread of Nazi ideology, Russia's top diplomat claimed

GENEVA, February 25./TASS/. The European nations are turning a blind eye to a blasphemous war against the monuments honoring heroes in the fight against Nazism, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a session of the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday.

"A campaign to falsify history is taking increasingly cynical shapes. Civilized Europe is shyly silent in witnessing a blasphemous war against monuments and memorials in honor of those, who sacrificed their lives to save the peoples of the continent from extermination. They also stay mum on the moves to memorialize murderers and criminals involved in putting the theory of racial superiority into life," the foreign minister said.

Lavrov also pointed to a tendency growing across the globe "to revise not only the decision of the Nuremberg trials, but the internationally recognized results of WWII in general," stating that these attempts are made for the sake of mercenary interests.

"It is necessary to stop this orgy of forgetfulness. Victory in World War II must be declared the historical heritage of humankind," Lavrov emphasized.

Spread of Nazi ideology

Western countries are greenlighting the spread of Nazi ideology, namely, by refusing to combat the rise of extremist groups propagating the ideas of Nazism, racial intolerance and xenophobia in the Baltic states, Sergey Lavrov claimed.

"We have been calling on the West to influence their proteges [the Baltic states]. In response, we hear bashful statements on the protection of freedom of speech and peaceful assemblies," Lavrov said. "In this way, Western democracies actually greenlight the spread of Nazi ideology, the glorification of Nazi collaborators and the torchlight processions under the flag of Waffen-SS. Such ‘political correctness’ essentially justifies misanthropic ideology."

The Russian foreign minister pointed out that cases of restriction of media freedom, repression of dissent and violation of the rights of minorities are a normal occurrence in the Baltic states. "Extremist parties, movements and groups that spread Nazi ideology, the ideas of racial superiority, discrimination and xenophobia, are feeling more at ease," the minister concluded.