Polish Law on Soviet Monuments to Evoke Appropriate Response – Foreign Ministry

The Polish president's approval of legislative amendments allowing for the demolition of Soviet monuments is nothing more than a provocation that will not be left unanswered, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – On Monday, Polish President Andrzej Duda approved a bill on the prohibition of communist propaganda that regulates the demolition of Soviet-era monuments in the country.

"The Polish authorities, undoubtedly, understand very well that this is a harsh insult on the Russian people and peoples of the countries which were former parts of the Soviet Union, whose sons and daughters fought against a common enemy for the life and freedom of the European nations, including the Poles. Despite this, Warsaw intentionally makes this outrageous provocation. Of course, it will not be left without response," the ministry said in a statement.

The new Polish law violates the existing bilateral agreements between Moscow and Warsaw, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted.

Moscow also drew attention to the fact that the Soviet Union had made a decisive contribution to the defeat of fascism in Europe, and that over 600,000 Soviet soldiers died during the liberation of Poland.

On June 22, Poland’s lower house of parliament passed amendments to the so-called de-communization law, stipulating the demolition of almost 500 Soviet-era monuments in the country.

The law enters into force three months after being signed.