Mayors criticize that this is a government quarter without them

Prague - The mayors of the affected districts are disillusioned that the plan to build a government district in Prague's Letňany is being discussed without them. Next Monday, they plan to meet to discuss the potential impacts on the northeastern part of Prague. Letňany mayor Zdeněk Kučera (ANO), along with neighboring Prague 9 mayor Jan Jarolím, Kbel mayor Pavel Žďárský (for Kbely our home), and Čakovice mayor Jiří Vintiška (ODS), informed ČTK about this.

"We fundamentally disagree with the fact that decisions are being made about us without us, and that agreements are being made behind our backs that will affect the lives and future of more than 20,000 residents of our district," stated Prague 18 mayor Kučera. He added that he and the other mayors want to gain access to discussions about the construction. Žďárský and Vintiška share this view, noting that they only receive information from the media regarding the discussions.

"We really feel like vassals of greater Prague, which makes decisions about us in an absolutely undemocratic manner," said Kučera. According to him, the districts will then have to solve problems related to the construction of the government quarter, hospitals, or housing.

"In Čakovice, 1,000 apartments are to be built, Mr. Hřib has planned 1,300 apartments here, right next door there are another 800 apartments, and we may end up with Kbely, Satalice, Vinoř, and possibly even Čakovice being completely cut off from the city of Prague because everything will get clogged at the entrances. And we will never allow that. And if someone thinks that this will be pushed through by force in combination with the power of money, they are sorely mistaken," Žďárský told ČTK.

If the districts were invited to the discussions, they could, according to Vintiška, present the real needs of the local residents they encounter during their long-term tenure in office. Jarolím believes that Prague should develop with regard to the interests of its residents. "We do not want it to become the subject of strange agreements of which we know nothing," Jarolím stated.

The mayors expect a negative impact of the potential construction of the complex on traffic. According to Vintiška, the traffic in the northern part of the city is already in an unsatisfactory state. In exchange for enabling the construction of the government quarter, the city wants the state to pay for the completion of the Prague ring road. However, according to Žďárský, this is a condition that needs to be clarified, as the district requires guarantees and a transportation development plan.

According to the mayor of Prague 9, it does not matter whether a government quarter or a hospital is built on the land. "First, the traffic problem in this part of Prague needs to be addressed. And we have not heard that the leadership of the capital city will support the completion of the Prague ring road in northern Prague, nor is there a plan for the prompt completion of the Vysočanská radial," Jarolím told ČTK.

In contrast, Letňany deputy mayor Pavel Sehnal (ODA/Beautiful Letňany) took a positive stance on the construction of the complex. He believes that the plan is beneficial for the district, but many questions need to be resolved, such as traffic, parking, and the impact on local residents. Sehnal also owns the Letňany exhibition grounds, which neighbor the affected municipal lands.

Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates) met with Babiš on Wednesday regarding the future use of municipal land in Letňany, having previously rejected the construction of an administrative complex. After the meeting, both politicians stated that they will continue discussions. The city demands the creation of a multifunctional district, which could include a complex for public officials. However, the city sets conditions, demanding payment from the state for the completion of the city ring road amounting to 60 billion crowns. It also wishes to acquire the Karlín barracks from the state and the remaining area of the Bulovka hospital. According to Hřib, officials could move from the Škodův palác to the barracks after 2028, while city apartments could be developed on the hospital's land.

The city has been addressing the use of over 30 hectares of land near the metro station for some time. Currently, it is a field, and in the past, former mayor Pavel Bém wanted to build a complex for the Olympic Games on the plots.