Werich's villa will apparently be rented by Mládková

Prague - The Jan and Meda Mládek Foundation is likely to lease the so-called Werich Villa on Kampa in Prague 1. The intention was unanimously approved today by the representatives of the first city district after a long discussion. The foundation wants to establish a cultural venue in the building dedicated to the legacy of Jiří Voskovec, Jan Werich, and poet Vladimír Holan. Negotiations on the lease agreement will now begin.
Mládková, whose foundation operates the Museum Kampa in the neighboring Sovovy mlýny, is to pay a one-time rent for the Werich Villa of 23.8 million crowns. The further rent will be one crown per year. The foundation is to operate in the building for 40 years.
The amount of rent and the duration of the lease sparked a discussion in the council. Generally, the councilors had nothing against the intention. The foundation initially wanted the villa for 90 years. Alena Fraňková (Public Affairs) called that unacceptable and also wanted the municipality to cover the building's repairs and then set the appropriate rent. According to Filip Pospíšil (Green Party), the proposed lease conditions were unclear.
Deputy Mayor Karel Koželuh (SNK European Democrats) eventually proposed shortening the lease period to 40 years, which Mládková agreed to, albeit reluctantly. She does not like that the resolution speaks of a one-time rent. Initially, Mládková wanted to pay the money gradually, based on the continuation of the reconstruction. The representatives of the municipality assured that payments would be addressed only in the lease contract, which would again be approved by the council. However, the sentiment from the council suggested that the foundation should pay the amount upon signing the lease agreement.
According to the intention, projections, theater performances, and various discussions should take place on the ground floor of the villa. There will be two apartments on the upper floors, as decided earlier by the municipality, as well as an archive and a research room. Mládková wants to live in one of the apartments.
"I think that no one has a program like we do," said Mládková before the councilors. Renting the villa will reportedly just bring her work, worries, expenses, and disappointments.
The so-called Werich Villa was damaged in the flood of 2002. The municipality has already spent 18.5 million crowns on repairs, which Mládková claims is unnecessarily too much. It is expected that completing the reconstruction will cost another 20 million crowns. The municipality will finish it. However, the foundation is to have a representative on the commission that will select the construction company.
The municipality has tried to lease the villa in three selection procedures already. The first was won by the Colly company, which sparked criticism. Ultimately, the municipality had to cancel the competition because it was not in accordance with the current wording of the Public Procurement Act. The second selection procedure was supposed to take place last June, but after a week, the council canceled it.
Only Mládková applied to the last competition. However, she ultimately did not submit a bid for the second round. She wants to acquire the villa through a so-called intention, where the municipality offers spaces only by posting on the official notice board.
Today, all 28 present councilors raised their hands in favor of renting the building to Mládková. Only Mayor Petr Hejma (ODS) did not vote, as he recently became a member of the board of trustees of the Mládek Foundation alongside Mayor Pavel Bém (ODS).