Census of Stalin’s Statues

Census of Stalin’s statues started in the villages of Kakheti region. The Kakheti News Center was informed from the villages that specialists and commissaries of the territorial entities within the district administration carry out census of Stalin’s Statues in the villages.

About 20 statues were found in the region; the framed photos of Stalin are placed in the centers of several villages.

‘They came and took photo of it. We asked what the matter was and they said they had to inform the district administration about it; the authority intends to set up a memorial to the boys killed in the wars. Why should they replace Stalin?! They should select another place for the memorial of the young warriors,” said the resident of the Tsnori village in Sighnaghi district Givi Mirianashvili.

Stalin’s statue was removed from the Liberty Street in Gurjaani. A plaque was fixed on the pedestal where the statue of Stalin was standing for many years. The names of soldiers killed during the wars in Samachablo and Abkhazia were embossed on the plaque. Instead the statue, there is a globe on the pedestal with a pigeon on it. Kakheti regional governor Giorgi Ghviniashvili and single mandate candidate from Gurjaani district Giorgi Chiviashvili opened the “Memorial”. 54 316 GEL was spent on the memorial and square from the local budget.

Shota Utiashvili, Gurjaani district governor: “Stalin’s statue, which we have removed, was restored and it will be placed in the Museum of Fame Memorial. I do not know where it is now but it will be placed in the museum for sure.”

Nodar Kochlamazashvili, Sighnaghi district governor: “As far as I know, there is no single statue of Stalin left in the district now. We had many famous people in Sighnaghi whose memorial plaques should be set up in the town. We should replace the Stalin’s statues with their plaques.”

Kakheti News Center