Five architectural monuments to be rebuilt in Odesa with Italian funds

Italy pledged to grant EUR 45 million for the restoration of five architectural monuments damaged by Russians in Odesa.

Ivan Liptuha, Head of the Department of Culture and European Integration of the Odesa City Council, reported this in a comment to Ukrinform.

"Initially, the Ukrainian side (Ministry of Reconstruction - ed.) sent an agreed list of objects: the Philharmonic, the Museum of Western and Eastern Art, the Literary Museum, the Art Museum and another building at 6, Primorskyi Boulevard belonging to national heritage," Ivan Liptuha said.

According to him, there are plans to make the building at 6, Primorskyi Boulevard the UNESCO Center for Managing Cultural Heritage Site.

However, according to Ivan Liptugha, this list has not yet been finally approved, as the list of buildings is approved by the Supervisory Board within the framework of the memorandum signed between Ukraine and Italy. It includes the Ministry of Reconstruction, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy, the Regional Military Administration, the Regional Council and the City Council.

"Now we are at the stage when the Italian side has to determine its representative on the Supervisory Board, and then the Board has to approve this plan," Liptuha explained.

As for the money flow scheme, the memorandum envisages direct cooperation between the countries, without the UNESCO "intermediate" authority, as is the case with the reconstruction of the Transfiguration Cathedral.

"Now the funds will not go through UNESCO. Bureaucratic obstacles that we had when restoring the roof of the cathedral showed that this scheme is too complicated in terms of communication," said Ivan Liptuha.

As reported by Ukrinform earlier, Italy will allocate EUR 45 million for the reconstruction of Odesa’s historic center damaged by the war. The project will be designed for three years and aimed at three directions.