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Czech top diplomat calls for dialogue on monument to Soviet marshal

On Thursday, Czech President Milos Zeman spoke in favor of preserving the monument

PRAGUE, September 7. /TASS/. Russia and the Czech Republic should continue their dialogue on the fate of the monument to Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev in Prague, Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek was quoted as saying by the Mlada Fronta Dnes newspaper.

Petricek described earlier statements by Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky as "unhelpful."

"This format of discussion about the statue is indeed unhelpful. I regret the fact that it crossed all sensible borders. I hope that [the sides] avoid making strong statements in the future and engage in a practical dialogue. I call upon all parties concerned to do that," he said.

Earlier, Medinsky described the Prague 6th District municipal head, who earlier suggested tearing the monument down or relocating it to the closed premises of the Russian embassy, as "a gauleiter [party leader of a regional branch of the Nazi Party] on a local scale."

"Prague was liberated after the fall of Berlin, but in no way was this operation a walk in the park," he said. "12,000 of our soldiers died liberating Prague, and the grateful residents erected a monument to Konev. And now the municipal head of some district says they will discuss the matter of demolishing the monument to the person who liberated and saved the city. A gauleiter on a local scale, that's what he is," Medinsky said.

On Thursday, Czech President Milos Zeman spoke in favor of preserving the monument.

"President Milos Zeman, being a wise and educated person, said this was a disgrace, he said: you can’t do that. Of course, we are thankful to the president for his support. We expect the local authorities to make a correct decision after his speech," he added.

The monument to Konev was placed in Prague in 1980 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the liberation of the Czech capital from Nazi invaders by the 1st Ukrainian Front of the Soviet military forces, headed by Konev.

The district’s head Ondrej Kolar said late last month that Konev’s monument falls victim to vandals at least two times a year, which, according to him, points to the local residents’ negative view of the Soviet military commander. The municipal council of the Prague 6 district where the monument is located will decide on the monument’s future on September 12.

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