Soviet era monuments vandalized in Bulgaria

- A monument to Soviet troops located in Sofia the capital city of Bulgaria was spray- painted recently in one of several cases where Soviet era monuments have been vandalized.

The Russian Embassy in Bulgaria sent a note to the Bulgarian government demanding that the former ally during the Soviet era clean up the monument as well as identifying, and punishing those responsible. The note also asked Bulgaria to take measures to ensure that such vandalism does not happen in future. The day before the Bulgarian Socialst Party's 123rd anniversary the monument was sprayed with red paint according to the Novinite news agency in Sofia. Last year, on the night of August 21, 2013 the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Czechslovakia to crush an uprising in 1968 a monument to the unknown Soviet army liberator was painted pink and "Bulgaria apologizes" was written on it in Bulgarian and Czech, as Bulgaria had participated with Russia in the invasion. The pink colour was in homage to Czech artist David Cerny. In 1991 he had painted a Monument of Soviet Tank Crews, a Second World War monument, pink. He was arrested and the tank repainted, but it was later painted pink again by the government and placed in a military museum.

The monument to the Unknown Soviet Liberator has been subject to other acts of vandalism as well including once being painted the blue and yellow of the Ukraine with the inscription "Glory to the Ukraine". One of the more imaginative and creative acts of vandalism recast the unknown liberator as Superman. It can be seen here.. In many areas Soviet era monuments especially those depicting Stalin have been demolished. Particularly countries that are now aligning with the west and resented periods of being Soviet satellites monuments are removed. Ukraine recently saw many Lenin statues demolished. Even in Moscow monuments that were placed in many different areas of Moscow were all brought together and are now in one place as shown in the appended video. An exception to the rule is the breakaway Republic of Transnistria which proudly displays many Soviet era monuments.