The headquarters of the Supreme Audit Office will likely require more money due to the prices of construction work

Prague - The construction of the new headquarters of the Supreme Audit Office, which will also house the library and archive of the Chamber of Deputies, is likely to require more money due to rising construction costs. The budget committee of the Chamber today recommended increasing the office's expenses for the years 2021 and 2022 by a total of 252.6 million crowns. The amount will also be addressed by the parliamentary control committee when it discusses the NKÚ budget for next year. The office is currently located in a rented building and has been trying for several years to secure its own headquarters.

The tender for the construction was announced by the office in March this year. The estimated price, including value-added tax, was 659 million crowns. The president of the NKÚ, Miloslav Kala, told ČTK that several companies were interested in the contract, but no one submitted a bid due to the specified price. "From all the inquiries and discussions, it became clear that the price had shifted due to the increase in construction work, making it unprofitable for those companies. That’s why we asked the budget committee today to increase the amount," said Kala.

In 2021, the increase is expected to represent 108.4 million crowns, and in 2022, 144.2 million. Within this limit, the NKÚ will announce a new competition. Kala anticipates that the final price may be lower. "But again, that is a limit that the Supreme Audit Office and the Chamber of Deputies cannot exceed," he added.

According to assessments conducted by the Czech Technical University, constructing its own headquarters is the most advantageous option for the NKÚ. "At the same time, it is still true that the state has no other suitable premises to offer the NKÚ and the library and archive of the Chamber of Deputies. This was confirmed last in August this year by the Office for State Representation in Property Affairs," said NKÚ spokesperson Jana Gabrielová in response to a ČTK inquiry.