Member of Parliament Botgros explains why Lăutarii got free land for a residential block instead of a folklore center
He was given a free plot of land in Chisinau by the government with the intention of building the International Folklore Center "Lăutarii." However, instead of the center, a block of 20 apartments was constructed. Nicolae Botgros, a deputy from the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), claims that the folklore center project was never realized because potential sponsors repeatedly refused to finance it. As a result, he was compelled to sell everything to settle the debts that had accumulated, according to the parliamentarian.
The statement was made in relation to the RISE Moldova investigation, which reveals that a block of 20 apartments, valued at 1.2 million euros, was constructed on land intended for a cultural center managed by the "Lăutarii" Association, led by Nicolae Botgros.
According to the investigation, in 2007, the "Lăutarii" Association was granted nearly 30 ares of public land for the construction of a folklore center in Chișinău. The original plan included facilities for a fiddle school, a recording studio, a wine cellar-museum, and hotel accommodations for artists.
In 2016, a construction contract was signed. However, the project was later modified, resulting in the construction of three residential blocks instead of the cultural center, ultimately producing 20 apartments and two commercial spaces, valued at 1.2 million euros. The final beneficiaries of this project are not associated with the arts.
MP Nicolae Botgros claims that the project was not completed due to a lack of funding from sponsors. He stated, "At that time, I had a businessman from Moscow who offered to help build a cultural center here in Chișinău. However, the ministers changed, and the gentleman from Moscow withdrew his sponsorship. A few years later, around 2017, another potential sponsor emerged, but the deal did not materialize as expected."
Regarding the apartment building managed by the "Lăutarii" Association, Botgros denied that it was worth a million euros. He explained, "I did not sell it; I began building it along with them. It was a different arrangement. I intended to create a printing studio, a reception hall, and some hotel rooms, but it turned out to be something completely different."
The investigation found that in 2021, the year when most real estate transactions for the apartments in the complex occurred, the "Lăutarii" Association reported revenues of approximately 11 million lei, the highest in the organization's history.
