Real estate investor Ioannis Papalekas, the owner of the Cathedral Plaza office building in Bucharest, will ask for damages from the Bucharest Roman Catholic Archiepiscopate, which has been blocking the office project for years.

He will also file a criminal complaint against Archbishop Ioan Robu.

The Bucharest Roman Catholic Archiepiscopate recently submitted to the National Anticorruption Directorate a criminal complaint against Bucharest mayor Sorin Oprescu, investors Dragos Bilteanu and Ioannis Papalekas, who own the office building, and employees of the Bucharest City Hall.

Robu has accused them of belonging to an organized criminal group. The archbishop also accused public employees of abuse in office, due to their refusal to carry out the court order to demolish the Cathedral Plaza office tower.

In January 2013, the Ploiesti Court of Appeal ruled irrevocably that the building was built illegally and demanded its demolition.

In January this year, Bucharest Mayor Sorin Oprescu asked for an expertise on whether the Cathedral Plaza office building demolition would be threatening the structure of the adjoining Catholic Cathedral St. Iosif.

editor@romania-insider.com