The budget of the Ministry of Culture will be one billion higher next year

Prague - The Ministry of Culture will likely have expenditures of 8.332 billion crowns next year, which is 1.027 billion crowns more than this year. The ministry's revenues are also set to increase, mainly due to a rise in contributions from the EU budget, which are expected to be 1.03 billion crowns. This year, these revenues are only projected to be 328 million crowns. The parliamentary cultural committee supported the ministry's budget today without changes.
     Deputy Minister of Culture Michaela Vojtová told the MPs that the 14 percent increase in expenditures is due, among other things, to an increase in contributions to subsidized organizations by 224 million crowns. Specifically, she mentioned the transformation of the Czech Philharmonic and the merger of the National Theatre and the State Opera in Prague in this context. In total, subsidized organizations are set to receive 5.26 billion crowns.
     Expenditures for the activities of registered churches and religious societies are also expected to rise to 1.44 billion crowns. The reason is primarily the agreed increase in salaries for clergy to a total of 1.35 billion crowns. The program for the care of the national cultural heritage should also be strengthened, increasing from this year's 412 million to 464 million crowns in 2012. Compared to this year, nearly double the amount - 883 million crowns - is to be allocated for the development and restoration of the material and technical base of state cultural institutions.
     On the other hand, expenditures for cultural services and support for live arts are to be reduced from this year's 485 million to 372 million crowns. Savings are expected to affect the program for supporting professional theaters, symphony orchestras, and choirs, as well as support for exceptional cultural events, public information services in libraries, and expenses for the rescue and restoration of cultural monuments.
     The committee also supported the budget of the State Culture Fund without changes, with both revenues and expenditures expected to reach 34 million crowns. The fund has, among other things, revenues from renting Prague houses U Černé Matky Boží and U Hybernů, as well as the National House in Vinohrady, and is also expected to be partially financed by revenues from television advertising. The fund has 59.2 million crowns in its account. Payments of nearly 102 million crowns for the reconstruction of the houses U Černé Matky Boží and U Hybernů are being considered.
     The revenues from television advertising could also be available to the State Fund for the Support and Development of Czech Cinema next year. However, its proposed budget does not yet account for this money, setting the fund's revenues at 81 million crowns while expenditures are set at 200 million crowns. The committee also supported this budget.