Due to a dispute with heritage officials over the trees in the square, Třebíč lost funding for heritage sites

Třebíč – The Ministry of Culture announced to Třebíč that it will not provide a grant of 750,000 crowns this year from the program for the regeneration of urban heritage zones and reservations. The reason is the announcement from the National Heritage Institute in Telč that Třebíč did not adhere to the binding opinions of heritage experts during the reconstruction of Karlovo náměstí. The city disagrees with this, claiming that the ministry did not verify the information from the National Heritage Institute. This year's grant money is allocated for private heritage property owners, and the city is prepared to compensate them for the loss of grants. Representatives of the city stated this at a press conference today.

"For putting more greenery in the square, they will punish property owners who are reconstructing and fulfilling the requirements of heritage protection," said Třebíč Mayor Pavel Pacal (For Třebíč). According to him, the city is now negotiating with the Ministry of Culture about the grant. "We are making the square for the people; we are not making it for the heritage experts. People want greenery there. The greenery is tastefully placed; it is not an attempt to turn the square into a park," said Pacal.

According to him, the heritage experts from Telč informed the ministry that during the reconstruction of the square, ten more trees were planted than the project documentation allowed. The heritage experts also stated in a letter sent to the ministry that the city did not adhere to the principles of heritage care in two other points related to the modification of the surroundings of the statue of Saints Cyril and Methodius.

Pacal stated that all work was carried out in accordance with the valid and approved documentation. The exception is the planting of more greenery, which the city insists on, deeming it necessary given the current climate situation. However, heritage experts have long disagreed with the increased planting. According to them, planting ten trees constitutes a violation of a long-negotiated and difficult-to-achieve compromise that all parties involved consciously participated in. Ilona Ampapová stated this on behalf of the National Heritage Institute. According to her, the heritage experts do not dispute the general benefit of greenery in cities. "At the same time, it is not possible to resign on the meaning of heritage protection in the middle of a heritage zone and leave the method of reconstruction of the main square to arbitrary handling without historical context," Ampapová told ČTK.

Třebíč insists that the issue of Karlovo náměstí is not closed as it has not yet been approved. The reconstruction has been ongoing for almost two years and is expected to be completed by September this year. The alleged administrative offense concerning the city’s failure to adhere to the binding opinion of the heritage experts is currently being handled by the municipal office in Náměšť nad Oslavou due to bias in the Třebíč office.

According to Deputy Mayor Pavel Janata (KDU-ČSL), this year's grant money was designated for five heritage sites owned by private owners and churches, including the Basilica of St. Procopius, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In April, the council also approved the city's shares necessary for the subsidized repairs. Repairs on some of the heritage sites have already begun. "We will see how it turns out with the Ministry of Culture; in extreme cases, the city is prepared to address this directly and compensate the owners," said Pacal. According to Janata, the city cannot allow property owners to suffer due to the dispute between the city and the heritage experts.

Petra Hrušová from the press department of the Ministry of Culture stated to ČTK that the city's grant request is being processed and will be resolved by a rejection decision. The city had previously informed about this so that grant applicants would be aware. She mentioned that this information was provided to the city in a letter dated April 8. The council approved the city's shares for the repairs on April 21. According to Hrušová, municipalities are not entitled to grants if they act against the principles of heritage care, which include adjustments according to the binding opinions of the executive bodies of state heritage care. She mentioned that ten trees were planted without the issuance of a binding opinion from the administrative body in the area of state heritage care beyond the approved project documentation. The ministry relied on statements from the National Heritage Institute and the regional office.