<NKÚ needs 356 million due to its new headquarters>

Prague - The leadership of the Supreme Audit Office wants to increase the office's budget for next year by 356 million crowns compared to the proposal. The reason is the expenses related to finding a new office location. It is still unclear whether the office will succeed in its request with the Ministry of Finance.
The Ministry of Finance proposed a budget of 507.321 million crowns while preparing the state budget for next year. However, as spokesperson Olga Málková told ČTK, the Supreme Audit Office is requesting 863.121 million crowns from the Ministry of Finance. The difference between the two amounts is needed by the office to cover the costs of a new office location. "The rental contract for the office building Tokovo at Jankovcova 2 ends on September 30, 2013, and new premises must naturally be secured and equipped by that time," the spokesperson stated.
The office has established a working group that is dealing with the selection of a new location. "So far, both the construction of a new headquarters, the purchase of a building, and the renovation of a state building for the needs of the office are on the table. Renting private space would be only a last resort and temporary solution if the office cannot find an adequate location quickly enough," the spokesperson said. According to her, the office prefers relocating to property owned by the state.
The office will negotiate the budget increase with the Ministry of Finance in August. The ministry does not wish to comment on the negotiations. "We do not comment on negotiations with the managers of individual chapters during the preparation of the state budget," said ministry spokesman Ondřej Jakob to ČTK.
Moving the office to new premises will be a relatively complicated logistical operation, according to spokesperson Málková, especially since the office employs 319 staff members in Prague alone. From the start of the lease in the Tokovo building in 2007 until June 30 this year, the Supreme Audit Office has paid 398 million crowns in rent. The selection of the location and the allegedly inflated rent have long been criticized by members of the parliamentary control committee.
In April, the committee asked the government to provide data on state buildings in Prague by the end of May with the aim of finding a location for the Supreme Audit Office. According to the MPs, the Ministry of Finance should find funds in the state budget for the coming years to relocate the office.