The reconstruction of Charles Bridge will likely be inspected by UNESCO

Prague - The controversial reconstruction of one of the most significant Czech architectural monuments, Charles Bridge, is likely to be examined by a UNESCO commission. This was reported by Prima TV in today's evening news. According to the television, the newly established Association for the Protection and Development of Cultural Heritage (ASORKD) alerted UNESCO to the problem and presented it with criticism of the reconstruction.
    The UNESCO commission could check Charles Bridge in January, according to Prima, when it comes to Prague to observe the also controversial newly constructed Blanka tunnel.
    In recent days, based on a criminal complaint from ASORKD, the police have begun to address the bridge's repair. According to their representatives, the legal responsibility lies with the owner of the monument, namely the capital city of Prague. The police are investigating the bridge's reconstruction due to suspicions of the crime of neglecting the duty of a public official. Perpetrators of such an act can be sentenced to up to three years in prison or banned from certain activities according to the criminal code.
    The National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) reiterated this week that if the current method of repairing Charles Bridge does not change, this national cultural monument could be irreversibly damaged during the further stages of reconstruction. Their assessment of the work on restoring the deck and parapets remains critical, although according to experts, there has been some improvement following the criticism from the State Heritage Inspection. The quality of the work is still far from corresponding to the significance of the monument, states NPÚ.
    Although the NPÚ representative has been monitoring the repairs from the beginning, the problem is that the relevant municipal department is the supervisory body for heritage conservation. According to critics, the case of the bridge's reconstruction is the most striking evidence of a poor system of heritage care.