Minister of Culture confirmed the fine for heritage protectors for the lion at Klárov

Prague - The Ministry of Culture confirmed the fine of 150,000 crowns that Prague 1 received from municipal heritage officials for placing a memorial to Czechoslovak war pilots in Klárov. The decision is not final. The information was confirmed by the ministry spokesperson Simona Cigánková. The municipality violated the law by not having permission from heritage officials for the placement of the so-called winged lion. The statue has been standing in Klárov since last June.
    "The ministry had to confirm the fine because there was a violation of the relevant provision of the heritage law, albeit with good intentions," said Cigánková. The upper limit of the penalty in such cases is two million crowns, according to the spokesperson. CTK is trying to obtain a statement from Prague 1. The municipal district can appeal the decision to the minister's appeals committee.
    The two-meter tall winged lion on a concrete pedestal covered with granite was created according to a design by British sculptor Colin Spofforth. Funding for it was raised by Britons living in the Czech Republic. They wanted to express their gratitude for the heroism of Czechoslovak pilots serving in the ranks of the British RAF.
    However, the placement of the monument has been accompanied by disputes with Prague's heritage officials from the beginning. They object to the monumentality of the work and the fact that there is already one statue in the small park. They also criticize the actions of Prague 1 and the British embassy, claiming they applied for permission too late and without sufficient discussion.
    Czech and Slovak pilots etched their names in the memory of the residents of the United Kingdom, especially during the famous Battle of Britain. During this battle, the Nazis suffered their first significant defeat in World War II. A total of around 2,500 Czechoslovak pilots served in the British Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II, with 493 of them losing their lives in combat.
    A similar case occurred in Prague back in 2009. At that time, the municipality declared the placement of the pedestal for the statue of Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko illegal because Prague 5 did not have all the necessary permits for it. However, the statue ultimately remained in place, and the municipal district was fined 9,000 crowns.