The press office of the mayor of Grozny City Muslim Khuchiev has reported that the monument to the victims of Stalin’s repressions will be moved from the center of the city to outskirts. The mayor stated this has to deal with the general plan of building new housing in the town. However, it is clear that 60 hundred of square meters occupied by the memorial complex are not of principal importance for building purposes.     

There are waste plots of land and small markets in the center of the city that might be used for building sites. It is likely, that political leadership is anxious about the fact the memorial was erected at Jokhar Dudaev. Construction of the monument was started in 1992 and had been finished by 23 February 1994 which was the date of 50th anniversary of deportation of the Chechen people by Stalin’s regime.    

Human rights center “Memorial” condemned the actions by Chechen authorities and stated the transfer of the monument to the outskirts to be disrespect towards the victims of the genocide of the Chechen people, which is capable of causing growing tension in the republic.