Hundreds of Bucharest citizens living in the area of the Parliament Palace, with the support of environmental NGOs, submitted a protest at the Bucharest City Hall on Monday calling it not to approve plans to clear a plot of land in the respective area, which is due to be used for the construction of a huge cathedral of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
Protesters say they want the area to remain green and host a park rather than a huge cathedral.
A representative of an environmental NGO, Ecocivica, said several NGOs would sign a complaint to challenge the environmental approval issued by the Environmental Agency for the construction of the Cathedral.
However, a representative of the Church said that 15 trees would be cut to leave room for the construction works, but that other 420 would be planted instead.
According to the Patriarchy of the Romanian Orthodox Church, works at the cathedral will start in September and are expected to last for five years at a cost of about 130 million euro.
