site.btaSoviet Army Monument in Sofia to be Removed and Repaired

The sculptures of the Soviet Army Monument in central Sofia are about to be removed, Sredets borough Mayor Traycho Traykov told BTA on Thursday. A press release by the regional administration the same day makes it clear that the sculptures - bronze figures and bas-reliefs - will be taken down for repair before they are moved to a location that is yet to be chosen. 

The removal of the monument has long been a divisible issue for Sofianites and the larger Bulgarian society.

The local authorities fenced off the monument on August 25, arguing that the enclosure is due to findings that the monument is hazardous for passers-by as slabs have loosened and might fall off.

They said on Thursday that a public procurement procedure is to be initiated for the restoration of the sculptures and for the preparation of a project for their permanent relocation in accordance with a Sofia Municipal Council decision. 

The decision to relocate the state-owned Soviet Army Monument from the Princely Garden in the city centre was taken by the Sofia Municipal Council in March. On September 15, the Sofia regional governor ordered the construction of a scaffold around the monument. This was another stage in the implementation of a Safety Plan aimed at preserving the lives and health of citizens.

At a Sofia Municipal Council meeting earlier in the day, municipal councillors of BSP for Bulgaria and Vazrazhdane said that they will not allow the Soviet Army Monument to be removed.