Mayors of a number of localities and representatives of the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova said the communities they manage suffer because of the neglected buildings whose owners went away and stopped looking after them.
Maria Galiț, mayor of Sărata Veche village of Fălești district, told IPN that such an abandoned building is situated next to their mayor’s office. “We tried to turn this house into a local museum, but this is private property and the procedure is very burdensome and costly,” stated the mayor. As to the method of making the owners look after their property that damages the urbanistic aspect of localities, Maria Galiț said a solution is to increase the taxes for such buildings.
The mayor also said there are houses that do not have legal owners as the heirs didn’t hurry to claim rights over the buildings after the owners died. “A law is needed to oblige the heirs to register the ownership right so that we know who should we discuss with when the building falls into ruin,” stated the official.
The existence of abandoned houses was also signaled by Gheorghe Răileanu, mayor of Cimișlia town. He stated for IPN that such buildings not only affect the locality’s architecture, but also hamper the works to modernize the infrastructure when the owners cannot be contacted. A solution to deal with such buildings is to build economic zones in and around villages so that the owners return to or remain at home.
As the executive director Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova, Viorel Furdui said the application of a stricter policy towards the owners of such buildings could help solve the problem of neglected houses. “Another solution is to declare the buildings whose owners are not known as property of the local administration. There are such buildings that spoil the aspect of the locality. These have several owners and are thus falling into ruin. Discussions should be held with all the owners so that these donate the building to the local authorities if they do not take care of this,” Viorel Furdui told IPN.
He also said that not only private buildings are left to go to ruin, but also buildings that were initially planned as schools or hospitals. “Such buildings should be transferred to the local administration that could put them to good use,” stated Viorel Furdui.
