Ion Ștefăniță, former director of the Agency for Inspection and Restoration of Monuments, has defended the decision to tear down a 19th-century mansion in central Chisinau, saying it faced “an imminent risk of collapse”.

On Monday, Culture Minister Sergiu Prodan announced the institution was suing two private real estate developers for 21.33 million lei after they demolished the Rîșcanu-Derojinschi Mansion to build an 18-story apartment tower in its stead.

But in a press conference on Friday, the former director of the landmarks watchdog agency questioned the notion that what the developers did could even be called “demolition”.

“That was not demolition per se, because there is plenty of photographic evidence and expert reports certifying that that building was extremely derelict and faced an imminent risk of collapse”, said Ștefăniță.

The landmark was passed into private hands in 2009. Ștefăniță said he personally conducted an inspection to assess its state: “I reported that the building became a den for vagrants and drug addicts. It was in ruins, and only 15% of its frame and masonry was still there. The ceiling was about to collapse. I presented the real situation of the mansion after 2010. It was a wreck of a building and not a gem, as someone tries to portray it. Perhaps it was indeed a gem once, when the state had a responsible attitude”, said Ion Ștefăniță.

“Minister [Prodan] declared on Monday that a landmark building was demolished. I did not find any demolition there. Article 40 of the Law on the Protection of Monuments allows tearing down buildings when there is a danger of collapse”, Ștefăniță, adding that he wanted Prodan to resign.