Director of Municipal Office for Spacial Planning Magdalena Jaskiewicz speaks with The Krakow Post about the confusion with the Botanical Garden

 
The Krakow Post: What is this competition that is creating so much controversy?Director Magdalena Jaskiewicz: It is a studio project, which means it will never be completed. We organized it as a sort of a brainstorm for the Krakow community and private investors who already have their lots in the eastern part of the old city to encourage them to develop the area, to show them possible benefits from refreshing the area. But as I said before, it is only to remain on paper.Q: And the confusion with the garden?A: I personally don?t know who came up with the idea of taking over the garden, and think it’s a totally ridiculous idea. Even speaking of it is compromising. The garden will surely remain in its place, the area belongs to the Krakow community and is under Jagiellonian University’s management.Q: Are you sure it will be left alone?A: Really it would be very difficult to remove this kind of institution. The University would have to agree, as well as the Krakow community and head conservator of Krakow, because the Botanical Garden is officially listed in Krakow’s monument register. Besides there is enormous public pressure. If somebody agreed to destroy the Botanical Garden, then it would mean that there are no longer any sanctities in Krakow. What’s next? Rynek Glowny?Q: So what’s the point in publicizing that news?A: In my opinion somebody wants to blur an investment somewhere in the area. If everybody focuses on the garden, nobody will notice it, or everybody will say, “Well at least they’ve left the garden alone.”