The castle calls on the police to review controls and to act quickly on barriers at the castle

Prague - The Presidential Office today urged Police President Martin Vondrášek to act quickly regarding the exchange of the existing barriers at Prague Castle. According to the Castle, the police must conduct a thorough review of security checks at the entrance to the grounds, said office spokesman Vít Novák to reporters. The Castle believes that the checks should at least be more dignified and without queues. If they remain, they should be moved so that entry to the Royal Garden and Deer Moat is possible without checks. In the past, the Castle defended the checks and actively took responsibility for them.

The Ministry of the Interior stated today on Twitter that security risks for Prague Castle are regularly assessed by the police. The police announced that the Presidential Protection Unit, along with other specialized services, is currently reassessing security measures at the Castle. "We will inform the Minister of the Interior of the results in the coming weeks, followed by the Office of the President of the Republic (KPR) and also the public," wrote the police.

According to Novák, KPR has lost trust in the police's actions and the setting of controls. He pointed out that the current checkpoints should have been temporary and are no longer sustainable. "We see no reason for visitors moving only in the Royal Garden or Deer Moat to undergo a complete check that includes X-rays, searches, and so on," said Novák. According to the Castle, entry to these areas should be free. "We would like to achieve a change in the security perimeter, which would be moved beyond the Powder Bridge; it would consist only of individual courtyards, and checks would take place within the Foundry Courtyard," he added.

The administration of Prague Castle and KPR therefore demands a thorough review of the measures at the entrance to the grounds. "Although the police argue that checks must continue, it does not mean they must automatically be in their current positions," noted Novák. Checkpoint shelters should disappear from the monumentally valuable space, and the Castle also requests the replacement of the current anti-tank barriers with non-military means. According to Novák, the Castle offers to establish a new police post in the Foundry Courtyard at its own expense and could also pay for retractable bollards in the roadway.

KPR called on the Police President to arrange a meeting of all interested institutions, which should also include representatives of the adjacent city districts and independent experts. If the police insist on checks, they must convince the public of the reasons, said Novák. "We want bilateral discussions based on debate," he added. Due to the checks and the influx of tourists, he stated that the surface in the fourth castle courtyard is in a state of emergency, which will need to be closed for reconstruction.

President Miloš Zeman last week asked in an open letter to Interior Minister Vít Rakušan (STAN) to abolish or fundamentally modify the checks. The head of state currently does not consider them appropriate and in line with the interests of citizens. "As the President of the Republic, I have not publicly criticized the checks at the entrances to the grounds of Prague Castle. I had hoped that they would gradually be eased or abolished," stated Zeman. The police presidium announced on Thursday that it still insists on maintaining checks.

Checks were introduced in 2016, at which time Prague Castle actively supported and defended them. Rakušan requested a review of security from the police this January, and according to him, a plan was ready to ease external measures. However, after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the minister stated that it was not an appropriate time for that.

In the past, the Presidential Office expressed that Prague Castle remains open to the public as much as possible. The Castle accused critics of access restrictions among politicians and the public of spreading hate and misinformation. KPR has previously refused to comply with calls to remove checks, citing the need for security, to which in recent years it added the need for protection against the coronavirus epidemic.