Viljandi's urban management workers have covered a controversial monument to Estonian singer Jaak Joala. Enclosing the monument with a wooden box took about an hour.
Viljandi city government decided to temporarily cover the installation until additional negotiations with Joala's widow Maire take place.
Maire Joala says the monument, unveiled during the New Year holidays, infringes her rights as Jaak Joala's trademark's owner, and has submitted an injunction to remove the monument, or at least the aspects of Joala's likeness, name etc., by January 18. Otherwise, Maire Joala says she will go to court.
The monument, initiated by the non-profit organization Meie Viljandi's board member Harri Juhani Aaltonen (Isamaa), brought along controversial opinions from the town's residents and arts experts, also due to the manner in which it was finances as much as on aesthetic grounds. Nonetheless, the monument ended up one of the town's star attractions since it was opened.