The Polish Sejm adopted a law banning communist propaganda
The Polish Sejm amended the law banning the propaganda of communism or any other totalitarian system in the names of buildings and other architectural objects. According to the document adopted on June 22, the monuments of the Soviet era, including memorials in honor of the Red Army, will be demolished.
408 deputies voted in favor, 7 voted against, and 15 abstained when voting on the final wording of the law. Amendments will come into force three months after the promulgation of the law.
The updated version of the law says that those monuments and other similar objects "cannot pay tribute to individuals, organizations, events or dates that symbolize communism or another totalitarian system.”
The authors of the bill point out that "the preservation of the names of institutions and monuments honoring the events and people, who had an adverse impact on the history of Poland, helps supporters of totalitarianism to promote their views, which has a negative impact on society."
Thus, the authorities want to make a public statement that the state adheres to the constitutional principle that prohibits a totalitarian regime and that it denounces the promotion of totalitarian views.
Plans have been made to dismantle about 470 sculptural and architectural objects this year. More than half of them are devoted to the Red Army.
Monuments located in cemeteries or other burial grounds, objects that are not on public display, or demonstrated for scientific purposes, or as a work of art, as well as monuments entered in the register of architectural monuments are not subject to demolition.