Bucharest Mayor Unhappy With Historical Center Rehabilitation, Considers Subcontractors

Oprescu said the nine specialists who worked in Sibiu, which was a European cultural capital in 2008, wanted to see the state of the works in Bucharest’s historical center to allow the mayoralty to contract them in the future for infrastructure works and building facade restoration.

Oprescu said Sedesa, the contractor for the works in Bucharest, is not observing datelines set in the contract, adding there will come a time when the contract will be terminated. The mayor said the company rehabilitated only four streets out of fourteen and he is unhappy with the work pace.

Architect Vladimir Grigorov, leading the group of experts from Sibiu, said problems found in the Bucharest are similar to those confronted in Sibiu, but said local authorities, the government and owners and tenants in Sibiu showed understanding and reached common ground. Grigorov added Sibiu also benefitted from the fact that it was designated European cultural capital last year and received public funds to restore building facades in the city’s historical center.

Works to rehabilitate the Romanian capital’s historical center started in December 2006, but met with delays after the discovery of archeological sites in the area dating from medieval times.