Stones from Orheiul Vechi are rent and sold

If people will continue to rend millenary stones from the tors situated on the bank of Raut river, the natural-cultural Complex “Orheiul Vechi could lose its charm and disappear from Moldova’s tourist map, Valeriu Renita, Ecologist Movement’ leader declares in a letter addressed to the prime-minister Vasile Tarlev. According to the quoted source, rock’s collecting became “epidemic” for many Trebujeni, Butuceni and Morovaia villages residents. They destroy the Complex by selling its stones. Authorities’ lack of attention to this vandalism favored the creation of a black market, where the rocks from Orheiul Vechi are sold. A recent visit to Orheiul Vechi showed that the stones of the tors and abrupt banks are being rent and in some places entire tors are crumbled, Renita says . “If we truly want this natural-cultural monument to be included in the list of the World Heritage, protected by UNESCO and integrate it in the regional, continental and global tourist circuits, we are obliged to ensure full protection to the historical, cultural, religious and archeological values”, Renita declares, who is urging the prime-minister to liquidate the illegal market of old stones and to stop the serious deterioration of the “Orheiul Vechi” Complex. In February, Alecu Renita addressed another letter to the prime-minister Vasile Tarlev hoping that the infringements will be halted. Renita says that at a Governmental meeting the prime-minister ordered to protect the natural-cultural Complex “Orheiul-Vechi”, but raion and local authorities did not comply with the order, so that the illegal activities of primitively obtaining stones, which destroys the valuable natural monument, continues on the whole territory of “Orheiul Vechi”.