NGOs seek moratorium on constructions in Chisinau's historical center

“We responsibly warn about the proliferation of massive demolition and degradation of the architectural monuments included legally in the official Protection Registers by decisions of Parliament or the Chisinau Municipal Council,” reads the letter. The NGOs say that six protected buildings have been destroyed this year so far. They were situated at 27B P. Movila St, 32 V. Alecsandri St, 71 Bucuresti St, 71 Vlaicu Parcalab St, 48 Sarmizegetusa St, and 4 Metropolit Gavriil Banulescu-Bodoni. According to them, it is intervened brutally in the protected zone of the chapel dedicated to Bessarabian and Bulgarian volunteers dating from the 19th century. It is located at 6 N. Dimo St. Nothing is done to prevent the ruining of the remarkable urban palace situated at 62 Bucuresti St. The organizations say that the facades of other protected buildings are modified daily. The decorative elements, original doors and windows are removed. The form of the roof is changed. The urban structure of the protected center of the city is altered. Whole historical quarters are being demolished in order to free places for new constructions. In order to solve the problem, the NGOs propose adjusting the General Urban Plan of Chisinau so as to strengthen the status of national protected area of the central historical part of the city. They also suggest instituting, by Government Decision, a moratorium on constructions in the protected area until the General Urban Plan is amended. The NGOs say the historical center of Chisinau should be created according to the model of other European histrionic towns. They suggest setting up a specialized subdivision responsible for protecting the cultural patrimony of the country – the monument police – under the Ministry of the Interior. The letter was signed by 15 organizations, including the National Council of Historical Monuments, ICOMOS Moldova, the Center of Archeological Researches of Moldova, the National Association of Young Historians of Moldova, and others.