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Macron urged to slow down on Notre Dame rebuild

The French President set a goal of rebuilding the cathedral in just five years following a devastating fire, but experts want him to pump the brakes.

PARIS, France — Over 1,100 French and international architects and heritage experts have called on French President Emmanuel Macron to take the necessary time to ensure good reconstruction work on the fire-damaged Notre Dame Cathedral.

In a column published by French newspaper Le Figaro Monday, they urge Macron to "let historians and experts have the time for diagnosis before deciding on the future of the monument."

They call for a well-considered, thoughtful and ethical approach and warn against a "political agenda" based on speed.

France's government last week presented a bill aimed at speeding up the reconstruction of Notre Dame that would allow workers to skip some ordinary renovation procedures.

Macron has set a goal of rebuilding the cathedral in just five years, which some experts consider simply impossible to achieve.

Credit: AP
A waterproof tarps cover the roof of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, Friday, April 26, 2019. Professional mountain climbers were hired to install synthetic, waterproof tarps over the gutted, exposed exterior of Notre Dame Cathedral, as authorities raced to prevent further damage ahead of storms that are rolling in toward Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

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