Bojars, Lujans and Ribena instructed to halt construction of "Sun Stone" high-rise
Minister of Regional Development and Local Government Affairs Ivars Gaters sent letters yesterday to Riga City Council Chairman Gundars Bojars, Minister of Economy Juris Lujans and Minister of Culture Inguna Ribena, calling for rectifying all violations connected with the construction of the "Sun Stone" (Saules akmens) business complex.
Minister of Regional Development and Local Government Affairs Ivars Gaters sent letters yesterday to Riga City Council Chairman Gundars Bojars, Minister of Economy Juris Lujans and Minister of Culture Inguna Ribena, calling for rectifying all violations connected with the construction of the "Sun Stone" (Saules akmens) business complex.
As LETA was informed by Dace Zvirbule, the head of the Regional Development and Local Government Affairs Ministry's Communications Department, the letters have been sent also to Prime Minister Einars Repse.
Gaters requests explanations from Bojars within three days and orders the mayor to deal with the violations and inform the minister about the result.
Gaters reminded that the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government had sent a letter to the Riga City Council already on April 30 with a conclusion that the project does not meet specifications for the Kipsala area since the maximum permitted height would be exceeded, and part of the conservation territory of 1,837 square meters has been turned into commercial territory.
Gaters points out that several other violations have been ascertained in the construction of the complex. Riga City Council had failed to coordinate the project with the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection since the area is located in the conservation zone and within Riga historic center.
Riga City Council has also violated norms the law on local governments which stipulates that local governments have to work out territorial planning and provide administrative supervision. The council has also violated construction law, territorial planning law and others.
In the letter to Lujans, Gaters also stresses that in the course of construction of the "Sun Stone", the construction law has been violated.
The Ministry of Economy is supervising construction in general providing for state control in the implementation of the project. The State Construction Board has been designated to check whether officials and state administration and municipal institutions do not violate the law and other construction norms.
Whereas in his letter to Ribena, Gaters states that according to the law on protection of cultural monuments, the Ministry of Culture is authorized to halt any commercial operation in the vicinity of cultural monuments.
Gaters believes that operations of the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection must be evaluated and there are grounds for halting construction of the building immediately.
Martins Kalaus LETA
Copyright © LETA
As LETA was informed by Dace Zvirbule, the head of the Regional Development and Local Government Affairs Ministry's Communications Department, the letters have been sent also to Prime Minister Einars Repse.
Gaters requests explanations from Bojars within three days and orders the mayor to deal with the violations and inform the minister about the result.
Gaters reminded that the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government had sent a letter to the Riga City Council already on April 30 with a conclusion that the project does not meet specifications for the Kipsala area since the maximum permitted height would be exceeded, and part of the conservation territory of 1,837 square meters has been turned into commercial territory.
Gaters points out that several other violations have been ascertained in the construction of the complex. Riga City Council had failed to coordinate the project with the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection since the area is located in the conservation zone and within Riga historic center.
Riga City Council has also violated norms the law on local governments which stipulates that local governments have to work out territorial planning and provide administrative supervision. The council has also violated construction law, territorial planning law and others.
In the letter to Lujans, Gaters also stresses that in the course of construction of the "Sun Stone", the construction law has been violated.
The Ministry of Economy is supervising construction in general providing for state control in the implementation of the project. The State Construction Board has been designated to check whether officials and state administration and municipal institutions do not violate the law and other construction norms.
Whereas in his letter to Ribena, Gaters states that according to the law on protection of cultural monuments, the Ministry of Culture is authorized to halt any commercial operation in the vicinity of cultural monuments.
Gaters believes that operations of the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection must be evaluated and there are grounds for halting construction of the building immediately.
Martins Kalaus LETA
Copyright © LETA
