The results of a public vote to choose a World War II monument to be built in Moscow to replace one blown up in the central Georgian city of Kutaisi last year will be announced next Monday.
A Russian foundation for the preservation of World War II monuments, Historical Heritage, and the Union of Georgians in Russia turned to Moscow authorities to rebuild the monument near Red Square, but it was decided that it should be erected in the Poklonnaya Gora memorial park. The park hosts Russia's Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War, as the Soviet Union's 1941-45 war with Nazi Germany is known.
"On Monday, July 12, a joint session of the Trusteeship and Public councils of the Fund to preserve and restore monuments to heroes of the Great Patriotic War will be held. During the session... the winner will be chosen," Historical Heritage said in a statement on Wednesday.
Russia initially wanted to build a replica of the monument, but Merab Berdzenishvili, who completed the original in 1981, said the blueprints and miniatures have been lost.
The winner is to be chosen among six final projects selected out of 25 initial ones submitted to an expert committee and for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's approval. Thousands of Internet users also voted in an online poll to choose the best project.
Russia strongly condemned the December 19 demolition of the Glory Memorial in Kutaisi as "a symbolic attack on those who laid down their lives in that war, including more than 200,000 ethnic Georgians."
Georgian authorities say the memorial was removed to make way for a new parliamentary building.
The demolition killed an 8-year-old girl and her mother when explosives used to topple the structure sent large chunks of concrete hurtling across a wide area.
MOSCOW, July 7 (RIA Novosti)
