On May 27, the National Commission for Cultural Heritage discussed the issue of the burial of foreign soldiers and related memory sites. Are the cemeteries of foreign soldiers really part of our culture and heritage that we need to nurture, protect, and value? There was also discussion about the problem of the absence of a legal framework and institutional system for the maintenance of the graves, cemeteries, burial, and reburial sites of victims of military conflicts from all historical periods.
The Heritage Commission emphasizes that although most of the burial sites of Soviet soldiers are officially designated as part of the cultural heritage sector, and heritage preservation laws and systems are currently the main means of administering these sites, alternatives should be sought. Soldiers’ graves, cemeteries, burial should be administered not as cultural heritage objects.
The Heritage Commission points out the multifaceted nature of the problem and therefore proposes to address it comprehensively:
– Discuss not only the burial sites of Soviet soldiers but also the burials and maintenance of soldiers from other foreign countries;
– Create a common legal framework and institutional system for the maintenance of the graves, cemeteries, burial of victims of military conflicts from all historical periods;
– The management system should involve not only the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Republic of Lithuania but also the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Heritage Commission is an expert and advisor to the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, President of the Republic of Lithuania and to Government of the Republic of Lithuania regarding the national policy of cultural heritage protection, its implementation, evaluation and improvement.