Will the
Romanian parliament become a shopping mall? [Victor Barbu/SETimes]
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Silvius Prigoana thinks the parliament
building where he serves as a liberal-democrat would make a great mall
for citizens and tourists and a lot of money for Romania.
The lawmaker plans to submit a bill on
the issue, which he claims will create more than 20,000 new jobs.
The idea for Romania's seat of
parliament -- known in the communist era as the People's House and
today as Parliament Palace -- has split politicians and the public.
A prosperous businessman with the
backing of his peers in the commercial world, Prigoana argues that one
of Bucharest's main tourist attractions is too expensive to maintain by
the government. "From a public spending point of view, [it is] a
catastrophe," he said.
The lawmaker noted that only 30% of
the building is used, at a cost of more than 50m euros a year.
"When the state budget needs every
penny, it is not permissible to ignore a potential for several hundred
million euros per year," said Prigoana on
his blog. "I consider less important the subsequent fate of the
building or who will administer it … instead of spending public money,
we make money for the budget."
Economists said that a shopping centre
at the palace -- which would be four times larger than Afi Palace
Cotroceni, currently the largest mall in southeast Europe -- could
bring Romania 100m euros in annual revenue.
Many bloggers disagree.
"The building is part of Bucharest's
history [and] identity … and is admired by foreigners. Why kill our
history, tear the historic print of our city, seized by the post-1989
frustrations, to try to build a different Bucharest? A city lives with
its history," said Ioana Despina Camino on her blog.
Daniela dislikes
the commercial idea while imagining the building for more cultured
purposes -- "a science centre: planetarium, aquarium, museum,
exhibition halls, theatre and cinema halls, libraries". She does not
believe anything will come of it.
Alinp noted
tremendous sacrifices that went into constructing the building. "I say
that no state institutions should function there. If what they say is
true -- that the place was built with many human sacrifices and
suffering -- then I think that any decision taken there is not for the
country's benefit."
Journalist Costi Rogozanu took a worst case scenario perspective. "What if it doesn't
work out? What if the business fails?" he said, warning of the risk of
a "huge and deserted house, the symbol of Romanian capitalism, right at
the very heart of the city".
Leon
agreed -- at least in principle -- with Prigoana. "The man seems to be
pragmatic. If they use only 30% of the building, why not use it all for
a bigger profit? I am sure they won't lack customers."
