Novorossiysk's Memorial Board Chairman about memorial to victims of political repressions.

A memorial to the victims of political repressions was unveiled in Novorossiysk on October 30. Board Chairman of the Novorossiysk City Public Historical and Educational Organization "Memorial" Gennady Goncharov told the Caucasian Knot correspondent about this event in the interview.

- We had been preparing the unveiling for quite a long time. Guests from Solzhenitsin's Foundation, chairman of Memorial's branch in Krasnodar together with the board, chairman of Gelendzhik's Memorial, representatives of the territory's legislative assembly, the city administration and duma, and many citizens of our town gathered to the unveiling. There were about 500 people altogether at the meeting.

- Who is the author of the memorial?

Sculptor Aleksandr Ivanovich Suvorov is. He is very famous in our region. Dozens of his works decorate different towns in Krasnodar Territory. The memorial is a stone block. The inscription "To the victims of political repressions" is made on its one side. In the center of the block is a niche, in which an eagle - a freedom-loving bird - sits behind the bars.

- Would you tell of the very idea to erect the memorial? Where did it arise and how did it become possible to realize it?

- We started talking about the memorial as far back as 1989. But we heard denial in all the circles. Having become chairman of Memorial in Novorossiysk, I analyzed what had been done and understood we could not solve the problem alone. And the Novorossiysk Recourse Center, the Black Sea Volunteers organization, and The Candle Burns and Seven Winds public organizations became our allies. We started to promote the idea at all levels. A political situation in the city changed - new Mayor Vladimir Ilyich Sinyakovsky assumed office and supported us. He personally allotted 75 thousand rubles for the construction. The site was chosen on Oktyabrskaya Square of Novorossiysk. We executed the documents and they were passed by the duma. And our plans have come true.

- And how did citizens take the unveiling of the memorial?

There were those who said, "If they were imprisoned, it means there were grounds for it." But for the most part people took the unveiling of the memorial adequately. Many people still come and say thanks we have not forgotten them.