Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the monument as a "freak" () during a visit to Kars in January 2011. In spite of protests, the city authority decided to remove the statue.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan characterized the monument as a "freak" during a visit to Kars in January 2011. Despite protests, the city authority decided to remove the statue.