“We have made a decision regarding the construction of a monument near the Old Theater. There are now nuances that next year, Basanavičiaus Street at the intersection with Mindaugas Street will be heavily remodeled, all the dirt on the roadway will be dug up and pipelines will be replaced. You want to make the street first, then make minimal improvements to the square. And then to have the entire territory with a monument, if the council (…) makes such a decision. But everything is planned. Probably, a realistic plan for 2026. to have such a monument in Vilnius, if there is political will”, said V. Benkunskas during the meeting of the Vilnius Council held on Wednesday.
According to him, the municipality’s Historical Memory Commission, to which the mayor intends to apply in the near future, will also have to perform its work on this issue.
ELTA reminds that at the end of 2022, the Vilnius City Council of the previous term confirmed that the first President of Lithuania, A. Smetona, will be immortalized in the square in front of the Vilnius Old Theater on J. Basanavičiaus Street.
However, such a decision ignited heated debates – questions were raised as to whether A. Smetona should be immortalized in the state capital, as the president was not an unequivocally valued politician.
A. Smetona served as head of the country twice – in 1919-1920 and 1926-1940. A. Smetona was a signatory of the Act of Independence, chairman of the Council of Lithuania, publicist. in 1926 the first president of Lithuania carried out a coup d’état and overthrew the then head of the country Kazi Grinių. in 1940 when the Soviets occupied the country, A. Smetona moved to the West.
2024-08-31 10:37:29