Residents of Marijampole signed a petition to remove the Russian symbol from the central square after it was there for almost 6 years.
The flag was hanged in 2010, when the city opened an honorary consulate of the Russian Federation. Townspeople became angered that the flag was flying near the monument to the Lithuanian nation and language.
A few years ago, people were already demanded removal of the Russian flag from the square, but at that time the relations between Lithuania and Russia were not so cold, so the request was left without attention.
“There was an incident when a parade of military involving both the president and the defense minister was taking place herer. There were American tanks nearby, and it was unclear why there the Russian flag was there,” said one of the locals.
Residents gathered hundred signatures, and then the Panorama TV journalists got interested in the issue. The result of the intervention of the Lithuanian television was the replacement of the Russian flag with the EU flag.
