Government indifferent to vandalism in „Orheiul Vechi” complex

For half a year Prime-minister Vasile Tarlev has ignored the appeals of the Ecologists Movement from Moldova (EMM) regarding the problem of tourists gathering millenary stones from Raut River banks, phenomenon that, according to the ecologists, will eventually lead to the devastation of the Natural-cultural Complex “Orheiul Vechi”. Chairman of the movement, Alecu Renita, declared for Info-Prim Neo that EMM addressed in February an open letter to premier Tarlev that requested his aid in solving the issue. Later, at a Governmental meeting, the prime-minister requested “to protect the Natural-cultural Complex “Orheiul Vechi”, but Renita claims that regional and local authorities ignored the indications, and illegal collection of rocks continue on the whole territory of the Complex. Renita claims that the state’s indifference towards this vandalism created a black market of rocks from the Orheiul Vechi complex. Renita declared he is convinced that the local police and the local authorities are also part of this phenomenon. “If we want to preservethis unique natural-cultural monument included in the World Heritage, if we want it guarded by UNESCO and part of the region, continental and world tourist routes, we are compelled to assure the proper protection of the sights and the historical, cultural, religious and archeological values” Alecu Renita added. The “Orheiul-Vechi” complex stretches on 200 hectares, which is the sightseeing reservation.