Not all war veterans have been let attend celebrations dedicated to Victory Day. At least twelve war veterans from Dushanbe’s districts had to sit out the Victory Day celebrations at the entrance to Victory Park as they were not allowed to go up to the Military Glory Memorial were the main celebrations were held.
“We had official invitations to attend the parade and we came to Victory Park in advance at 8:00 am as it was stipulated,” Ms. Leokadiya Kovtun told Asia-Plus by phone.
“They seated us at tables brought tea and said ‘wait’,” said Ms. Kovtun. “”When we later asked them why we are not asked to the parade they said that everything is over and we can go home. We were about twelve people, war veterans from all Dushanbe’s districts.”
Chairman of the Dushanbe Veterans’ Council, Ghaybullo Karimov, confirmed that some war veterans had failed to attend the parade. “But it was done for benefit of the veterans themselves. ”It was very hot yesterday and it was quite hard to go up to the Military Glory Memorial were the main celebrations were held,” Karimov said.
Representatives of the Dushanbe mayor’s office said they did not know why the veterans were not let attend the parade. “We will find out the reason and give comments,” Abdumajid Hakimzoda, a spokesman for the Dushanbe mayor’s office said.
The Republican Council of Veterans of War and Labor of Tajikistan says only 443 Tajik veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 are estimated to be still alive.
More than 300,000 residents of Tajikistan took part in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and 92,000 of them died in battle. 54 of residents of Tajikistan were given the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Besides, 15 other Tajikistan’s residents were Full Holders of the Order of Glory.
Victory Day marks the end of World War II in Europe, specifically the capitulation of Nazi forces to the Allies (the United Kingdom, Soviet Union, France, the United States and other principal Allied nations) on May 8, 1945.
In Russia and other countries of former Soviet Union, the day of Victory over Nazi Germany was celebrated on May 9, because when the German Instrument of Surrender actually entered into force (May 8, 1945 at 23:01 CET), it was already May 9 by Moscow Time. Post-Soviet countries have continued the tradition.
