Romanian Institute Calls for Removal of Adrian Păunescu Monument in Bucharest

The Institute for Investigation of Communist Crimes and the Memory of Romanian Exile (IICCMER) has renewed its request to withdraw the monument dedicated to poet Adrian Păunescu from the public space of Grădina Icoanei Park, Sector 2, Bucharest. The institute argues that Păunescu’s role as director of the magazine “Flacăra” and founder of the cultural event “Cenaclul Flacăra” promoted the propaganda of the communist regime and the cult of Nicolae Ceaușescu, and that keeping the monument disrespects the memory of the regime’s victims. IICCMER stresses that the request does not question Păunescu’s literary value, but rather the symbolic message conveyed by a state‑approved monument. The campaign revives a similar effort launched in 2012 when the institute opposed the inauguration of the statue. The organization also notes that such commemorations can perpetuate nostalgia for communism and calls for a critical reassessment of recent history. The move has prompted reactions, including a protest from Păunescu’s son, who denounced the effort as an attempt to erase his family’s identity.