The owner of one of the kiosks destroyed in February amid the large-scale demolition of Moscow shopping centers and pavilions has sued the city administration for 1.8 billion rubles ($26.8 million), the Meduza news website reported Friday.
The lawsuit was sent to Moscow Arbitration Court, the plaintiff’s lawyer Ruben Markaryan said, adding that his client’s property had been repeatedly checked for safety, and the court verified the legality of the construction. The object was demolished in contravention of the decisions of the court, Markaryan claimed, Meduza reported.
A 1,500-square-meter building near the Yuzhnaya metro station in southern Moscow was owned by his client’s company for more than 10 years, Markaryan told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI) in April. According to the lawyer, the building accommodated a restaurant, multiple offices, shops and a branch of a major bank.
Moscow official Timur Zeldich called the lawsuit an act of “self-PR of well-respected lawyers,” adding that the claim was no news for the Moscow government, the TASS news agency reported.
“They are demanding compensation for their losses, but losses should be compensated only in case of illegal actions, and we believe our actions were completely legal,” Zeldich claimed.
The preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for July 1, the Interfax news agency reported.
