Parking prohibition signs have been placed in Malostranské Square

Prague - Portable signs prohibiting parking have been placed in the Malostranské Square in Prague. This will take effect at midnight from Thursday, June 30, to Friday, July 1, 2016. This was confirmed to ČTK by Deputy Mayor Petra Kolínská (SZ/Trojkoalice) and spokeswoman for the Technical Administration of Communications (TSK), Barbora Lišková. The closure of the parking lot was announced by the city hall several months ago. Prague intends to organize cultural and social events here.

"At this moment, there are traffic signs prohibiting stopping at the entrance to the parking lot from each side, informing that from July 1, 2016, the parking lot, including access, is closed. We ask everyone for cooperation and vehicle owners to relocate their cars," stated Kolínská.

Drivers will also learn from a sign at the parking lot entrance that if they leave their car in the parking lot after midnight on June 30, it may be towed.

"On Friday, TSK will take over from the parking lot operator and will subsequently begin cleaning and carrying out minor repairs here. The parking lot staff will also inform drivers about the future ban verbally," Lišková stated. It is not yet clear whether the cultural event announced by Mayor Adriana Krnáčová (ANO) will take place in the square on Friday.

New cultural and social events are to be held in the square. The program will be coordinated by the director of the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR), Petr Hlaváček, from July until the end of October. After that, the project will be evaluated and IPR will employ a program coordinator. A web portal will also be created through which interested parties can apply with proposals to hold some program in the square.

"Every Prague citizen and visitor will be able to enjoy the beauty of Malostranské Square while sitting with friends. We have also offered the space to the residents of Malá Strana, as their good neighborly relations benefit the whole city," Kolínská stated.

An expert jury selected the design of architects Martin Hájek, Václav Hájek, and Petr Horský in the international architectural competition held in September 2014. The municipal department of technical equipment is currently finalizing the regeneration study, which must subsequently be discussed and approved by Prague councilors.

Some members of parliament, including Roman Váňa from the ČSSD and František Laudát (TOP 09), recently opposed the cancellation of the parking lot, which is located near the Chamber of Deputies.