EU Parliament says Romanian government must protect cathedral

Published: 2007-10-03

BUCHAREST, Romania (CNS) -- The European Parliament has issued a declaration ordering the Romanian government to protect as a historical monument a Bucharest cathedral endangered by the nearby construction of a skyscraper. The declaration condemned "the illegal construction" of a 19-floor skyscraper about 30 feet from the Cathedral of St. Joseph. It said it also "firmly condemn(s) the attitude of the Romanian authorities" in failing to protect the historically significant cathedral. The European Parliament issued the declaration in late September. Romania became a member of the European Union Jan. 1, 2007, making it subject to EU rules, including the obligation for member states to protect cultural patrimony. Romanian President Traian Basescu and the mayor of Bucharest have defended the illegal construction by Millennium SRL, which is backed by U.S. investors through Miller Global Properties based in Denver. Construction on the structure stopped this summer as the result of a court order, which Millennium is currently appealing. One of the major objections to the construction is the risk of fatal damage in the event of an earthquake. Bucharest is located in a seismic zone and the cathedral's foundation is composed of masonry which is not reinforced. It already has suffered significant damage from earthquakes in 1940, 1977, 1986 and 1990.

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