Chisinau administration bans, people protest, while buildings continue to be demolished

The municipal authorities banned the demolition of Chisinau buildings that are considered architectural monuments of local and national importance. However, the monuments continue to be illegally demolished. On March 18 in the morning, a group of members of the Civic Group for Protecting the Historical Center of Chisinau protested in front of the City Hall, expressing their indignation at the fact that one more historical monument has been illegally pulled down in the capital city. The protesters chanted “Save the historical Chisinau” and “We want adopted laws, not demolished monuments”, demanding that the Chisinau administration and the Government immediately approve the law on the protection of the architectural patrimony, compile a register of monuments of local importance, and review the Register of Monuments of National Importance. “We must stop the destruction of the historical center of Chisinau. The moratorium imposed by order of the Mayor of Chisinau is flagrantly violated,” said Ion Stefanita, a representative of the Civic Group for Protecting the Historical Center of Chisinau, who heads the Agency for Monument Inspection and Restoration. He asserted that Vlad Modarca, head of the municipal division for architecture, urbanism and land relations, encourages illegal demolitions. The protesters warned that illegalities continue to be committed even if Moldova ratified the Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe in 2002, together with another 19 countries. The fines for such offenses are low and thus the demolitions continue, Ion Stefanita said. Earlier, Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca made an order, banning the owners of buildings included in the Register of Architectural Monuments of Local Importance from making changes to them like reconstructions or demolitions until the start of September, when the Chisinau Council is to approve the reviewed Register. The order also suspends the issuing of urbanism certificates and demolition or construction authorizations for the monuments included in the Register. Only maintenance works are allowed. On March 14, the building situated at 71 Bucurest St was demolished without the approval of the Culture Ministry's National Council of Historical Monuments. The building “The House of I. Chinculov (Hancu)” was classified as architectural monument of local importance. Three architectural monuments have been pulled down illegally in the capital city so far this year. A number of 136 buildings of national importance have been destroyed in Chisinau during the last two decades.