The Mayor of Sofia, Yordanka Fandakova, firmly condemned both secret overnight graffiti painting and their cleaning, calling them partisan war.

Fandakova's comments came on the heels of the Saturday painting of the Soviet Army Monument, ironically representing it as a set of US pop culture characters and its Tuesday overnight cleaning earlier then the time reported by the media.

The Mayor used the occasion to announce the City Hall is working on the launch of an international contest with an international panel for young people's ideas on how to better organize downtown Sofia, including the Soviet Army monument, pointing out youth should engage in a legal and safe showcasing of their talent – activities that she would definitely support.

When asked about her viewpoint on the monument's painting, Fandakova said "it would have been an artistic joke and an original, creative idea, if it was done in some other way and at another place, not on public property.

"This cannot be tolerated. This would mean similar things popping out all over town. And you, usually, are the first ones to reproach us for not cleaning Sofia," the Mayor told the gathered journalists.

Regarding the request of different organizations to install security cameras at the monument, she explained the City Hall already has a plan to expand video monitoring at eight parks, including the one around the said monument, and in six underpasses.

The public order is estimated at BGN 300 000, Fandakova pointed out, adding the City Hall is committed to provide safety and security to residents and visitors and to preserve public property.

The Mayor announced that the St. Sofia Church and the Monument of the Unknown Soldier were already placed under video surveillance.

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