Archeological researches ignored by authorities

“Chisinau is the only European capital that does not perform systematic archeological excavations. The authorities do not promote the archeological investigations and do not ensure a minimum of digs at old sites,” doctor Ion Tentiuc said in a roundtable meeting centering on the World Habitat Day, Info-Prim Neo reports. Ion Tentiuc, who heads the archeology division of the National Museum of Archeology and History of Moldova, said the historical home of the capital city is a monument of national importance protected by the state, which can be modified only after archeologists examine the situation in the area. “If cultural strata are identified, the beneficiary of the initiated constructions is obliged to allocate a certain sum of money for archeological investigations. But this has not been done after 1945,” Ion Tentiuc said. According to the professor, despite the warnings made by archeologists, the fourth part of the necropolis discovered not far from the Mazarache Church was destroyed during construction works in 1997. Erected in 1742, the Mazarache Church is the oldest in Chisinau. On October 14, the church celebrates its foundation day and the researchers hurried to finish the works. Until now, they found there an architectural construction that is probably an aqueduct dating from the 19th century and the oldest cemetery of Chisinau with 52 graves. Another archeologist Sergiu Bodean said the Cultural Patrimony Institute of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova carried out researches in the Valea Morilor Park in 2009-2010. “For the first time, there were discovered and studied vestiges from the Neolithic Age and Early Middle Ages,” he said. Researchers Serghei Agulnicov and Sergiu Popovici, of the same Institute, drew up an archeological map of the municipality of Chisinau. They gave it to the City Hall and other officials and specialists in the hope that it will be taken into account when construction projects are authorized. Serghei Agulnicov said in many cases, the authorities ignore the warnings issued by archeologists and many archeological sites are destroyed instead of being recovered. The World Habitat Day is marked on the first Monday of October. Moldova became a member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council in Eastern Europe three years ago.