The Prague coalition will not waive the fee for the occupancy during the construction of the column

Prague - Representatives of the Prague coalition of the Pirates, Prague Together, and the United Forces for Prague (TOP 09 and STAN) did not agree today on the waiver of the fee for the occupation for the construction site of the replica of the Marian column in Old Town Square. The United Forces will therefore negotiate with the company that started its construction about a collection to cover the fee. Jiří Pospíšil (TOP 09), the head of the United Forces councilors and Member of the European Parliament, told ČTK. The company for the restoration of the Marian column in Old Town Square in Prague is to pay the city company Technical Administration of Communications (TSK) over one million crowns.

The construction of the column began on February 17 this year and is expected to last until mid-September. Upon completion, the column will become the property of the city. The return of the column to the square has been accompanied by long-standing disputes. The original column from the 17th century was toppled by a crowd in 1918, as it was seen as a symbol of the Habsburg monarchy. Its return has been discussed since the 1990s.

"I tried to persuade the coalition partners on how to resolve the absurd situation where a non-profit organization wants to donate something to the city, in this case the Marian column, and has to pay for the occupation of public space. The Pirates, however, were against it," Pospíšil said.

Representatives of the United Forces for Prague, led by Pospíšil, want to negotiate with the company's management and agree on how to raise money to cover the occupation. "In the coming days, I will contact them and discuss the possibilities. A collection will likely be necessary," Pospíšil said.

The company has rented a plot of land of 289 square meters for the construction site. The lease is set for a fixed term until September 15. It will only be interrupted from the end of March to the second half of April due to the Easter markets to be held in the square. The fee for the occupation will be paid in installments, with the first installment of 202,300 crowns and two subsequent installments of 421,840 crowns each. The company has already paid the first installment.

Prague councilors had previously repeatedly refused to agree to the placement of the replica of the original column. The situation changed this January when a majority was found in the council to revoke the city’s original dissenting opinion. Following that, TSK permitted the construction's occupation.

Sculptor Petr Váňa brought the replica of the column, consisting of about 250 pieces, to Prague last year by boat and subsequently attempted to start the construction in the square, but was prevented by police at that time due to the lack of an occupation agreement. Váňa then left the work on the boat on the Vltava River and continued working with a team of stone sculptors to complete it.