Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Second Stalin statue vanishes

Sunday 27 June 2010 19:00 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.

Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.

Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election

Head shot of Andrew Feinberg

Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Authorities in Georgia tore down another monument to Josef Stalin.

The statue in Tkibuli in western Georgia was taken down two days after authorities tore down a bigger and more famous monument to Stalin in his hometown of Gori, pictured. Both statues were brought down in the middle of the night in an apparent attempt to avoid protests and media attention.

Stalin was born to a modest family of cobblers in 1878. Both monuments in his honour were erected before his death in 1953. The Georgian government says a younger generation who have embraced Western ideals of freedom favour the dismantling of Stalin's monuments. "A memorial to Stalin has no place in the Georgia of the 21st century," President Mikhail Saakashvili said. Culture Minister Nikolos Rurua said the government would also soon rename Georgian streets still carrying Stalin's name.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in