The digitization of cadastral maps will be delayed due to cuts

Prague - The digitization of cadastral maps will be delayed by about a year and a half due to austerity measures in public administration, and it will be completed around the middle of 2017. This was stated on Wednesday by Karel Večeře, the director of the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping, and Cadastre, to members of the agricultural committee of the Chamber of Deputies.
    The cadastral office, like other state institutions, must save ten percent of its expenses next year, which corresponds to the proposed budget for 2011. "We cannot prevent austerity measures from impacting the digitization of cadastral maps; we have to restrict it," said Večeře.
    Currently, maps representing more than half of the territory of the Czech Republic have been converted to digital form; this year alone, about 1100 maps from a total of 13,000 will be transferred. "We have projected the measures into the budget so that the recording into the cadastres, which the public follows most closely, does not worsen," he added.
    According to the head of the office, the delay is not fatal, and some members of parliament agree with him. "We understand that there will be delays; we will be happy if it is not long-term," stated Ladislav Skopal (ČSSD), deputy chairman of the agricultural committee.