Protectors of architectural monuments stage new protest

The NGO “Orasul meu drag” (“My Dear Town”), alongside other organizations, mounted a new protest against the Chisinau City Hall’s lack of action to protect the architectural monuments. The activists said that though they had protested for about a year, the illegal constructions and demolitions continue, Info-Prim Neo reports. The protesters demanded that the Chisinau councilors and the mayor create a working committee consisting of representatives of the Municipal Council and the City Hall’s services as well as of civil society. They asked taking into account the proposals for improving the legislation put forward by the NGO “Orasul meu drag”. A member of the NGO Vitalie Voznoi said they protest against the unauthorized construction of a car wash in Rascani district and of a chapel in “Shipka” Park. He said many of the buildings occupy the public area. Anatolie Juraveli, a member of the Civic Group for Defending the Cultural Patrimony, said nothing of the historical city will remain soon. “Hotels and shopping centers appear instead of monuments and nothing can be done,” said the young man. He stated the dismissal of the chief architect Vlad Modarca is the only thing that happened since they protest. ”We protest because we are concerned about the disastrous state of the historical center of Chisinau, which is destroyed and sold with the irresponsible participation of the mayors of the capital city,” said the members of the NGO Hyde Park Oleg Brega. Another protester, Iurie Moisei said the building situated at 52 Schusev St, which is considered an architectural monument of national importance, risks being demolished and substituted by a six-story hotel. Thursday was a day of protests at the City Hall. Dozens of Chisinau residents supported by the Communist Party demanded in the morning that the mayor general be dismissed. They blocked the entrance to the City Hall, expressing their dissatisfaction with the rise in the maintenance costs following the increase in charges.