ODS in Brno is against further studies on the location of the new train station

Brno - Brno opposition councilors from ODS are against the city having an analysis comparing both locations of the future main railway station prepared. In a statement to journalists, they claim it would further increase the project's costs and delay construction. This week, representatives from the majority of parties represented in the council agreed that a comparative study should be created, but only ODS disagrees. The party furthermore conditions the preparation of the study on the consent of all clubs. This is rejected by the coalition.
    "I understand this request, but the principle that in a democracy the majority decides has its roots, and if we are to come to something, it should not be conditioned on the consent of all," reacted to ODS's stance by Brno Deputy Mayor Oliver Pospíšil (ČSSD). He added that if such a practice were established in Brno, it could block many other projects in the future.
    New negotiations about the future location of the station began among Brno politicians on Tuesday. It aims to determine whether the railway hub in Brno will be repaired so that the station stands in the center not far from the existing one, or whether it will be built about 800 meters south of the current location. Representatives from all parties were supposed to attend Tuesday's meeting, but opposition Civic Democrats did not show up. The club has now nominated its representatives - it chose ODS's electoral leader Karel Hledík, who deals with urban planning, and the former investment deputy mayor, now ODS councilor Miroslav Hošek. The coalition welcomed this step, saying that according to Deputy Pospíšil, they are experienced politicians who understand the project.
    The parties represented in the working group are to submit their proposal by the beginning of February, regarding what criteria the city should use to select a contractor for the comparative analysis. "The tender, which will be approved by the city council, will then take at least one month including the appeal period," said Brno councilor Martin Ander (SZ) earlier. The conclusions of the analysis will be known by the end of April at the earliest. Representatives of all political parties will meet again to discuss them. The final decision will rest with the city council.
    The project, which includes the construction of a new station in the southern part of Brno, less than a kilometer from its current location, was pushed by the previous Brno coalition of ODS and KDU-ČSL. In addition to the Civic Democrats, it is also supported by the opposition communists and the People's Party, who joined the new Brno coalition after the elections alongside opponents of the so-called displacement of the station - the Social Democrats, Greens, and independents from the Brno 2006 group. The previous Brno coalition supported the project, even though the majority of participants in the referendum expressed opposition to it.