Oslo (AFP)

Norway gave the green light on Wednesday to the demolition of a building marked with Picasso's seal but damaged by the Breivik attacks, refusing to postpone the implementation of a strongly contested decision.

Completed in 1969 in central Oslo, the "Y block", so called because of its shape, houses drawings by the Spanish master engraved with a sandblast on its walls by the Norwegian artist Carl Nesjar.

Hitherto hosting a ministry, the modernist-style building had been hit by the bloody bombing perpetrated by right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik against the seat of government on July 22, 2011.

In 2014, Norway had, for security reasons, decided to demolish it as part of a vast reconstruction project decided for the relocation of "Pêcheurs" and "La Mouette", murals produced in an easily recognizable childish style. .

The decision caused an outcry with heritage defenders and part of the public who mobilized to preserve the building and delayed its destruction.

Three organizations and associations announced on February 13 their intention to bring the state to justice, and asked the government to postpone the demolition until justice has been decided.

On Wednesday, the executive rejected the request, arguing in particular about the financial consequences of a further postponement and the need to move forward with the already decided reconstruction project.

"Statsbygg (the agency in charge of managing the state's real estate assets, editor's note) is responsible for starting the preparatory work for the demolition of the + Y block," said the Ministry of Territorial Communities and Modernization in a press release. .

No date has been set but, according to the agency, postponing the implementation of the measure beyond April 1 would cost between 30 and 50 million crowns (between 2.9 and 4.9 million euros) per month.

A petition against the demolition of the "Y block" had collected nearly 28,000 signatures Wednesday at midday.

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