Priest accused of violating Constitution

Members of Padurea-Rascani Association and representatives of other NGOs accuse the bishop of the All Saints Church Boris Papuc of violating the Constitution by starting constructions behind the church, which is a historical monument, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the Association’s representative Vitalie Voznac, several trees were cut in order to prepare the place for the construction works. “We want to extend the church, but the architecture of the monument will be affected. Thus, we demand that the Chisinau City Hall provide a place where to build a new church. This place should be in the square of the existent church, behind it or to the left of it,” said Boris Papuc. The protesters do not agree with the priest’s plans and urged him to ask for a plot on which to build the church elsewhere, not in the park where the monument is located. “The authorities said they will issue no construction authorization, but the building works started and will not be stopped. The Chisinau administration does nothing,” said Vitalie Voznac. The representatives of Padurea-Rascani Association say the penalty for cutting the 14 trees for extending the church imposed by the authorities was only 11,000 lei. Oleg Brega, a representative of Hyde Park Association, said they are against the destruction of the park and the monument. He accused the priest of violating the Constitution as the construction works on public land started without authorization. In a news conference last week, the Ecologist Party “Green Alliance” of Moldova suggested that the City Hall should gratis allot a plot where a new church could be built. The Architecture and Urbanism Division rejected the proposal, saying any plot is obtained by action.