Hala Matache destroyed by thieves. Police say the wind blew the roof off. Yeah, right.

While many of us have had our attention turned elsewhere - in my case, to the plight and subsequent rescue by Vier Pfoten of the horses of Letea Forest - things have been happening in Bucharest...

It appears that Hala Matache, the historical 19th century monument whose proposed demolition by City Hall lead to both national and international opposition, flashmobs and went as far as the European Parliament, lost part of its roof on Monday night. I say 'lost' very loosely, and you know very well what I mean. It was, in fact, devastated by thieves despite a security guard, provided by City Hall, being positioned there to protect and defend it from such criminal acts so typical for buildings left uninhabited across the city (and indeed, across the whole country). Local police said the roof was blown away by the wind. I am not a weather reporter so couldn't possibly give an opinion on whether it was that windy in Bucharest on Monday night or not. (But what I will say is 'hogwash'.)

Over the past few months, thieves have broken into the building on numerous occasions looking for wood, iron and bricks which they then sell off. Hala Matache was expropriated by City Hall and is set to be demolished to make way for the new (and currently suspended) North-South Express Way and rebuilt further along the road on the corner of Berzei-Buzesti. Several NGOs stand by their claim that Hala Matache has been purposefully left for thieves to demolish, since, for City Hall, the 'auto-destruction' of this historic building would save them bothering to knock it down. It certainly wouldn't be the first time.

For more on this once again outrageous treatment and wilful destruction of Bucharest's historic patrimony, please see below an article written by Catiusa Ivanov for Hotnews.

Hala Matache, devastata de hotii de fier vechi. Politia Locala spune ca acoperisul a fost luat de vint

de Catiusa Ivanov HotNews.ro

Marţi, 24 mai 2011, 20:38 Economie | Imobiliar

Parti din acoperisul Halei matache au disparut

Foto: Hotnews

O parte din acoperisul Halei Matache, monument istoric, a fost furat luni noaptea de hotii de fier vechi, dupa cum sustin reprezentantii ONG-urilor de urbanism. Paza cladirii trebuia asigurata de Primaria Capitalei, institutie in a carei proprietate se afla acum monumentul. Hala urmeaza a fi demolata si reconstruita pentru largirea Axei Buzesti-Berzei.

• Vezi in FOTOGALERIE un contra-exemplu: cum sint reconditionate vechile hale de peste din Tel Aviv

In ultimele luni, hotii au intrat de mai multe ori in interiorul halei furand caramida, fier si lemn. Hala a fost expropriata de Primaria Capitalei si urmeaza a fi demolata si mutata pentru construirea Axei Buzesti-Berzei. Mai multi ONG-isti sustin ca hala este lasata pe mana hotilor, in mod special de Primarie, pentru a se "autodemola":

"Pentru ca Primaria Capitalei nu a obtinut, la presiunea societatii civile, avizul Comisiei Nationale a Monumentelor Istorice pentru desfiintarea legala a Halei Matache, recurge la metoda bine pusa la punct de 'demolatorii' ilegali, si anume abandonarea  imobilului si dezmembrarea lui pe furis pina la disparitia totala. Hala Matache figureaza in continuare ca monument istoric, dar PMB refuza sa o protejeze asa cum prevede legea, astfel ea poate fi lasata prada demolatorilor de ocazie.  Pe 3 februarie 2011, Asociatia Salvati Bucurestiul si Societatea Academica Romana au inaintat Parchetului o plingere penala impotriva PMB acuzind-i pe cei responsabili de distrugere, abuz in serviciu contra persoanelor, abuz in serviciu contra intereserlor publice. De ce se inversuneaza Primarul Oprescu sa faca disparuta Hala Matache? Pentru ca ea sta in calea  viitorului bulevard Uranus. In aceasta situatie, PMB trateaza legea ca pe un moft", ne-a declarat Roxana Wring, presedinta asociatiei Pro_Do_Mo.

(FOTOGALERIE Halele vechi de peste din Tel Aviv) Ceea ce noi distrugem cu sarg, alte popoare pastreaza cu sfintenie. Halele de peste din portul vechi al Telaviv-ului, Jaffa, au fost restaurate in urma cu cativa ani. In interiorul lor functioneaza acum,  fie piete de peste, fie sali de expozitie.

Reabilitarea halelor face parte dintr-un program de reabilitare a intregului port, iar costurile sunt estimate la 100 milioane dolari. Arhitectii care s-au ocupat de restaurarea halelor au ales sa pastreze aspectul acestora cat mai aproape de cel initial.

Politia Capitalei spune ca tabla de pe casa a fost luata de vint

"In urma sesizarii facuta de dvs., o echipa de la Politia Locala Bucuresti s-a deplasat la fata locului. Nu exista semne de efractie. Cladirea este una foarte veche si neintretinuta, iar de la furtunile din ultimele zile este foarte posibil sa fi zburat tabla de pe casa. Noi patrulam nn-stop in zona si dam zilnic amenzi hotilor de fier vechi. Acestia se intorc insa de fiecare data. Constructorul este cel care trebuie sa asigure paza", a declarat Razvan Popa, purtator de cuvint al Politie Locale Bucuresti.​

Comments

[sairj]

waddaya trying to do to me?!! Just palinca is fine :o)

[Why?]

Haha, Sarah, Romanian by heart. Don´t forget to mix it with tuica and palinca and add on top of that some slibovitza.

[Why?]

At least they haven´t demolished. And the Roof can still be reconstructed.

[Valy]

It never ends... This country has no future only gypsies

[sairj]

Indeed, dear Silvia, indeed... same old method, same old crap, same old abuse of justice... I'm out of words for encouragement right now. Going for the vodka instead. It is more reliable. Please have one with me.