Lawyers threatened Olomouc with a lawsuit over the planned lamp exchange

Olomouc - Lawyers for the co-author of the city center reconstruction project have intervened in the dispute over the exchange of lamps on Horní náměstí in Olomouc. They have called on Mayor Martin Major (ODS) to abandon the plan to install new UrbanStar lamps on Horní náměstí, otherwise the city would face the threat of a lawsuit and a proposal for a preliminary injunction that would prohibit the exchange of lamps until the dispute is resolved. This is evident from a letter from the law and patent office Vyskočil Krošlák & spol. addressed to the city management, a copy of which is available to ČTK. The city hall continues preparations for the lamp exchange.
    The debate about the best way to illuminate Horní náměstí has been ongoing in Olomouc for several months. After the reconstruction of Horní náměstí was completed in 2001, it was found that the lamps installed at that time from Thorn did not provide adequate light. The Thorn fixtures are already significantly worn out. Therefore, in the spring, the city hall proposed that UrbanStar lamps from Philips, which have illuminated the neighboring Dolní náměstí since last year, be installed in the center this year. However, this is not acceptable to heritage conservationists or the authors of the reconstruction of Horní náměstí, who originally promoted the lamps proposed in the city center renovation project. Instead, Thorn columns, which the project authors agreed to, were eventually procured.
    Lawyer František Vyskočil, representing co-author of the Horní náměstí reconstruction Jan Šépka, has now called on Mayor Major to abandon preparations for the purchase and installation of new Philips lamps. "I am taking this step purely for preventive reasons, because if I do not have assurance that your city will not back down from such steps, my client will not hesitate to take all legal steps to protect his rights, including a proposal for a preliminary injunction," wrote Vyskočil.
    According to Vyskočil, installing Philips lamps, which architect Šépka disagrees with, would interfere with the copyright of the Horní náměstí reconstruction. Therefore, the co-author of the Olomouc center renovation may legally seek an injunction against the lamp exchange or financial compensation.
    City hall spokesperson Radka Štědrá told ČTK today that the territorial proceedings regarding the installation of new lamps on Horní náměstí are ongoing. In April, the mayor told reporters that the city would not violate copyright. "I believe that as the investor, we can replace any element from the original intention," thinks Major. However, for safety, the city hall has ordered an update of the legal opinion, the first version of which, according to Major, confirmed their position.
    According to the mayor, the Philips lamps are not prominent and will not significantly intrude on the historical space of Horní náměstí, and will illuminate it better than the old Thorn lamps. The councilors also argue that while Philips fixtures can be installed in the square by late summer, it would take longer for the originally proposed lamps from the Horní náměstí reconstruction project because the prototype has been lost and their production would take some time.
    According to Šépka, the originally proposed lamps are half the price of the Philips fixtures, have twice the light output, and their maintenance is not complicated. Vyskočil pointed out that there is no need to install Philips lamps on Horní náměstí, as it would be sufficient to repair the Thorn fixtures.