Pavel handed over the Liechtenstein proposal to the government; he will not intervene in the decision

Prague/Vienna - President Petr Pavel informed the government about the Liechtenstein proposal for an out-of-court settlement of the property dispute, which was presented to him by Liechtenstein's hereditary prince Alois during a bilateral meeting on the occasion of the UN General Assembly in New York. Pavel stated on the social network X today that he does not intend to intervene in the government's decision-making. The president responded to today's report by the newspaper Právo, according to which Pavel has begun to help promote an amicable solution and surprised parts of the government and the opposition with conciliatory steps towards the princely family.

Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský (Pirates) sees no reason to open further negotiations while the trial is ongoing. The position of the Czech Republic has not changed, he told reporters during a visit to Vienna.

The Liechtenstein Prince Foundation stated in October that it is ready to relinquish ownership claims to property in the Czech Republic in exchange for the establishment of a joint fund, to which ownership rights to disputed properties will be transferred. In such a case, the princely foundation would be entrusted with the obligation to manage the property in the fund responsibly and sustainably. The Liechtensteins are seeking the return of extensive property in Czech courts, including the castles in Lednice and Valtice in the Břeclav region.

Pavel stated today that during the bilateral meeting in New York, he listened to the proposals of the Liechtenstein prince for an out-of-court settlement of the property dispute. "I took note of this proposal and, upon returning from the USA, I informed the government about it, as well as about the other content of my discussions at the UN. At this moment, the initiative is submitted for the government's consideration, and I do not intend to intervene in its decision-making or question its outcome," he wrote.

"The government is responsible for the foreign policy of the Czech Republic. Similarly, it is responsible for the dispute that Liechtenstein is currently having with the Czech Republic at the European Court of Human Rights. Beyond that, the position of the Czech Republic has not changed in any way," Lipavský said today.

He noted that there are relatively serious accusations in the lawsuit against the Czech Republic. "As long as the lawsuit lasts, I see no reason to open any further negotiations in this matter," he remarked. However, his ministry is in ongoing contact with the Liechtenstein side. Shortly after taking office, Lipavský, among other things, discussed the matter with the Liechtenstein foreign minister.

The Liechtensteins lost their property in then Czechoslovakia in 1945 based on the Beneš decrees. However, according to the Liechtenstein Prince Foundation, the confiscation was illegal, and therefore lawsuits were filed with 26 Czech district courts. According to available information, the Liechtensteins have not yet succeeded with any of these lawsuits, nor subsequently at the Constitutional Court.

The House of Liechtenstein is seeking the return of extensive property in the Czech Republic, including the castles in Lednice and Valtice in the Břeclav region. In October, the regional court in Brno confirmed the decision of the court in Břeclav, according to which the state and other institutions do not have to return these castles to the House of Liechtenstein. The legal representative of the foundation, Aleš Linhart, told reporters after the hearing that he would file a petition to the Supreme Court.