It's unclear when the Green Bridge statues, one of the last Soviet monuments still displayed in Vilnius, will be renovated. Photo by Nathan Greenhalgh.

VILNIUS — Despite its financial troubles, the Vilnius municipal government turned down an offer from Moscow’s city hall to fund the restoration of four Soviet-era sculptures.

The offer was unexpected, as the city said Monday that it was not seeking outside funding to pay for the restoration, much less foreign aid. In need of renovation, the statues on the Green Bridge (Žaliasis Tiltas) are one of the few Soviet-era monuments still standing in Vilnius. Constructed in 1952 by the communist regime, one of the only places one can see a sickle and hammer insignia in the Lithuanian capital.

“In addition to the Green Bridge sculptures in the city, there are other monuments and spaces that need to be updated … but for this one, like others, we’re not asking for foreign aid,” Mayor Vilius Navickas said in a press release.

Vilnius’ municipal government is cash-strapped, and looking to sell its headquarters, a newly-built skyscraper not far from the Green Bridge. However, instead of accepting Russian money, the city says it may just delay renovating the statues, estimated to cost 60,000 litai (€17,000).

“Vilnius will have to say no” to the offer, Žilvinas Abaravičius, head of international relations for the Vilnius municipality, told Baltic Reports.

“The statues will be repaired some other way,” Abaravičius said. “The statues are not in that good of condition … but the decision still hasn’t been made.”

Abaravičius said that logistically, accepting the Russian money involved too much red tape hassle.

“According to our law, the company that makes the reconstruction work has to be licensed in Lithuania, and there are other objective obstacles,” Abaravičius told Baltic Reports.