Reconstruction of the Philharmonic, included in the EU Economic Growth Plan: funds won’t cover full costs, Minister of Culture
The reconstruction of the "Serghei Lunchevici" National Philharmonic, which was completely destroyed by a fire five years ago, remains one of the most complex challenges for the new Executive. Minister of Culture Cristian Jardan mentioned during the show IN CONTEXT on Moldova 1 TV that the project is part of the European Union-funded Economic Growth Plan. However, the high costs and technical complexities will require additional efforts.
"The Philharmonic poses a significant challenge for us. A tragedy has occurred, and the building is no longer standing. This is an infrastructure issue, a complex one that requires a substantial amount of money. We must be very careful in how we manage this situation, whether we restore the existing building, reconstruct it from scratch, or adapt it in some way. Several solutions are possible," said the Minister of Culture for Moldova 1 TV on November 5.
The official further explained that the German architectural project for the reconstruction of the Philharmonic involves considerable investments for the upcoming stages, and due to the intricate nature of the process, it is not possible to establish a specific deadline for its completion.
"There was a project competition, and a proposal from Germany was selected as the winner. It is quite costly and needs to be adjusted to fit the realities of the Republic of Moldova. As far as I understand, all the details and estimated costs were based on prices in Germany, whereas we have different pricing dynamics. This is a very complex subject, and we cannot provide an exact deadline," the minister noted.
Cristian Jardan confirmed that the reconstruction of the National Philharmonic is part of the European assistance package but emphasized that the allocated amount will not cover all expenses.
"In the Economic Growth Plan, which the European Union supports, we included the refurbishment of the Philharmonic. However, it requires a significant financial investment," the minister said.
During the same program, the Minister of Culture mentioned that the reconstruction of the Philharmonic is not the only major project on his agenda.
"We also have another infrastructure project—the rehabilitation of the Circus in Chisinau, which has been closed since 2004. The European Union has been tremendously helpful. At the very least, we can be assured that the circus will not be destroyed," Jardan said on Moldova 1 TV.
We would like to highlight that the "Serghei Lunchevici" National Philharmonic, with a seating capacity of 1,000, was inaugurated in 1940 and has since become one of the most significant cultural institutions in the Republic of Moldova. Unfortunately, on September 24, 2020, the building, covering an area of 3,500 square meters, was consumed by fire and was left in ruins. Since then, artistic groups have relocated their rehearsals and concerts to the Palace of the Republic.
To support the reconstruction of the building, three donation accounts were opened, and over one million lei has been raised, with the funds held by the Ministry of Finance. Following an international competition, a project proposed by a German architect was selected. The Ministry of Culture is now responsible for identifying investments for the feasibility study and the design phase of the project.
