A group of Warsaw councillors from the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party proposed that the avenue of trees between Warsaw’s Belwederska street and the fence of the Russian embassy should be called „Avenue of Victims of Russian Aggression” back in July. 

https://twitter.com/FrackowiakFilip/status/1580572059067109376?s=20&t=dXOcPrILF0Zq3d5PcbhqXw

“The idea is a continuation of various social initiatives and voices of various circles that requested that the various expressions of Russian brutality would commemorate in a symbolic way in the vicinity of the Russian embassy” – PiS councillor Filip Frąckowiak told WPolityce. The latter had submitted an application to the office of the city of Warsaw in this matter.

“We decided to help Ukrainians and Ukraine institutionally. We did it together, and we condemned the Russian aggression in the Warsaw Council. We pointed out that this attack on Ukraine is an attack on the order and security of Europe and Poland,” – Frąckowiak continued.

He further emphasised that the Warsaw Council also unequivocally condemned the behaviour of the Russian Federation.

“We must do everything possible not to continue the blatant disregard of the principles of international coexistence on the part of Russia. One of the ways to do so is naming the Avenue of Victims of Russian Aggression near the Embassy of the Russian Federation […] Vilnius and Prague have already taken similar initiatives” – he concluded.

„This name fits the proposed place, due to Russia’s ongoing […] aggression against Ukraine. Moreover, the naming is intended to provoke, and force reflection and action on the Russian state„- the justification of the resolution explains. 

The avenue will not only commemorate the victims of the ongoing war raging on Ukrainian soil. The initiators of the project insist on the historical dimension of the initiative, which is also to commemorate victims of Soviet crimes, deportations and massacres across the 20th century. 

Image: Wikipedia

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen