Former National Hotel will be fenced by Chisinau City Hall; owner to cover costs
The mayor of Chisinau, Ion Ceban, announced that the City Hall will install a fence around the former National Hotel. This decision comes after a minor was found lifeless on the property in early November. Access to the abandoned building has remained unrestricted, allowing anyone to enter.
The mayor noted that the issue has been a topic of public concern for about two weeks. He urged all parties involved to visit the site to assess the costs and requirements for installing a fence around the abandoned building.
According to the mayor, the City Hall will proceed with installing the fence, even though the building is not managed by the municipality. The costs will be evaluated and communicated to the building's owner.
In this context, the mayor emphasized the importance of securing all abandoned buildings within the municipality, including those owned by the state. He proposed creating a document to regulate intervention procedures for these properties.
"I ask my colleagues to develop a draft law that can soon be proposed in Parliament and at the Government level to address these issues," Ion Ceban stated during the municipal services meeting on November 17.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Daniella Misail-Nichitin, mentioned last week that police patrol the area around the former National Hotel daily. However, she noted that the General Inspectorate of Police lacks the authority to guard dilapidated buildings or those that pose a public risk.
"This responsibility falls either to the property owner, if it is private property, or to the local public authorities," the minister explained.
Daniella Misail-Nichitin also pointed out that over the past three years, the police have sent 19 notifications and opened more than 30 files to the Chisinau City Hall, including to Centru Pretura, consistently recommending that the building be fenced off.
We remind you that on November 6, a 13-year-old teenager was found unconscious inside the former hotel located on Ștefan cel Mare Boulevard after falling from a height. This tragedy sparked strong reactions in the community, particularly because it was not the first such incident in this abandoned building.
The National Hotel was privatized in 2006 by Alfa-Engineering, which acquired 83.24% of the shares. The Public Property Agency has attempted to terminate the contract in court but has been unsuccessful so far.
