The stalled land acquisition threatens the Central European Forum

Olomouc - Problems with land acquisition may jeopardize the establishment of the Central European Forum in Olomouc, which is to be part of the Olomouc Museum of Art. This was stated by museum director Pavel Zatloukal at today's press conference. According to him, the owners of one of the parcels have unacceptable demands. However, they have indicated that it is more about principle than price. They value their land in the gap on Denisova Street at seven million crowns. They are to receive 17,270 crowns per square meter.
    The Central European Forum, which includes visual arts from several countries since 1945, was officially established by the culture ministers and state secretaries of the Visegrad Group in June of this year. It is supposed to cost 500 million crowns. Jana Vohralíková from the Ministry of Culture said today in Olomouc that ownership of the land should be decided by the end of the summer. "In September, a call for European subsidy applications will be announced. If the Central European Forum project is not included from the beginning, we cannot guarantee full allocation," Vohralíková said.
    Zatloukal explained that negotiations have come to a standstill after Miroslava and Richard Nácar did not accept the offered compensation. "We are unable to purchase the last plot. We have agreed with all other owners and have bought or secured all surrounding parcels adjacent to the disputed plot in the middle of the gap," Zatloukal said. The Museum of Art paid the city at least 3,410 crowns for one square meter. "Now we have two options: either abandon the entire project or look for another solution excluding this parcel," Zatloukal added.
    According to him, the Ministry of Finance has set a ceiling that cannot be exceeded. The Nácar family is to receive 5.4 million crowns in cash and a house in the city center valued at 1.6 million. However, they demand six million crowns in cash and a house valued at one million. Zatloukal explained that the dispute is not over the land price but rather how that price is determined.
    Richard Nácar told ČTK that the museum had the land contractually bound by a preemptive agreement until the end of March, and that deadline was not met. "It's not about 600,000 crowns in cash, but about a question of principle and moral standards," Nácar stated. He noted that he is willing to continue negotiations. However, the Ministry of Finance does not want to make further concessions. They reportedly do not want to create a precedent for future acquisitions.
    The Central European Forum is intended to serve as a counterbalance to another part of the Museum of Art, which is the Archdiocesan Museum. In addition to visual arts, it is supposed to focus on chamber theater and film. It is also to have an extensive library. Vohralíková described it as the most important of the 14 projects that the ministry wants to support. The total area for the project is 1,800 square meters, with the Nácar land being 395 square meters.