Removal of Soviet symbols outrages Russian minister

"The memory of victory goes on. This memory is sacred for us and we cannot be anything but outraged by blasphemy against it," said Siergiey Lawrow, the Russian foreign minister. Even though he did not specify any countries, there is no doubt that he spoke of the countries of the CEE, such as Poland and Estonia. According to other Russian politicians, Polish authorities are showing "political hooliganism". "I hope that [these accusations] stem from unawareness and excessive emotion," said Kazimierz M. Ujazdowski, the minister of culture. He stressed that the Act on the places of the national remembrance was under preparation for a long time and it concerned numerous issues, thus was never aimed at Russia. He went on to say that the Act is aimed at removing ideological monuments of communism. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. A1, A3, A6) M.M.