Inspectors from Skopje’s downtown Centar district ordered an end to the construction work at the site of a large new building where once the Beko mall and the Plaza hotel stood.

Centar Mayor Sasa Bogdanovik and municipal councillors ordered an end to all construction in Centar, but this site, owned by a major media mogul, was still being built.

Three weeks ago we ordered the investor to stop his work. But, we determined that workers are still present at the site. He is now banned from entering the site. If this order is violated, criminal charges will be filed, Bogdanovik said.

According to local news sites, the building was being made without a permit, under the excuse that the Plaza hotel had to be demolished because of stability flaws and that the current work is merely to pump water out of the site, although it was visible that concrete is poured into newly built levels.