The reconstruction of the National Museum building could begin as early as spring

Prague - The delayed reconstruction of the historic building of the National Museum in Prague, which is expected to cost around three billion crowns including VAT, could begin in the spring. A decision from the antitrust office, which has been evaluating the tender for months, is expected in the coming weeks, causing the start of the work to be postponed. This was stated by Minister of Culture Daniel Herman (KDU-ČSL) at today’s meeting with media representatives.
    "I have information that a decision should be made within a few weeks, and I firmly believe that it will be possible to start the reconstruction at the latest in the spring months so that we can complete it in time for the 200th anniversary of the National Museum in 2018,” Herman told ČTK.
    The reconstruction was initially scheduled to start last year. The construction period is estimated at 42 months. The building has been empty since July 2011, but repairs have not yet begun. The winner of the public contract for the reconstruction - the M-P-I National Museum Association, which includes Metrostav, Průmstav, and IMOS Brno, has been known since mid-October 2014. Its bid of 1.352 billion crowns excluding VAT was evaluated by the selection committee as the most advantageous. However, last summer the Václavské náměstí 68 Association, led by the company Strabag, challenged the tender after it was disqualified from the competition for failing to meet conditions in preparing the bid. It initially filed an objection and then a petition to the antitrust office to review the legality of its disqualification.
    "The first instance proceedings regarding the reconstruction of the National Museum building in Prague are still ongoing,” stated Martin Švanda, spokesman for the Office for the Protection of Competition, in response to ČTK's inquiry in mid-January.
    The preparatory phase of the reconstruction ended in early 2013 and cost 548 million crowns. This included costs for relocation, remediation, storage in Terezín, and modifications to the building of the former Federal Assembly. Project work began in 2010. In the second half of 2012, the museum obtained a building permit. The government approved the call for tenders for the contractor of the reconstruction in the form of an open selection procedure on April 10, 2013, and the envelopes with the bidders' offers were opened in November 2013.
    The reconstruction of the National Museum, one of the largest investment projects in the department, was mentioned as a priority by Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (ČSSD) when he introduced Herman to the position a year ago. The Prime Minister would like it to be completed during Herman's four-year term.