MOSCOW, August 10 (RIA Novosti) - The dismantling of Moscow's Cherkizovsky market, the site of a spate of racist attacks and several fires, will begin in September, a city government official said on Monday.
Cherkizovsky, the largest market in Moscow, was closed on June 29 by order of Russia's consumer watchdog Rospotrebnadzor for health and safety violations.
"From September this year, the authorities will start dismantling all facilities located [at the Cherkizovsky market]," Nikolai Yevtikhiyev, the head of Moscow's Eastern administrative department, where the market is located, said.
However, dismantling efforts will concern just 20% of the market's territory, owned by the Moscow city government. Local officials also plan to appeal to the Russian federal government, which owns the remaining 80%, to demolish the rest of the market's facilities.
"Local and federal authorities should synchronize efforts to successfully complete operations to demolish the Cherkizovsky market," Yevtikheyev said.
Moscow government officials earlier said some 2-3 billion rubles (about $64.4 -$96.5 million) would be required for the work,
Some 45,000 immigrants, mainly from China, Vietnam and former Soviet republics in Central Asia, lost their jobs when the market was shut down.
