For the demolition of the Schlaraffia castle, the company faces a fine of half a million CZK

Jablonec nad Nisou - A fine of up to half a million crowns threatens the company MALINA - safety for the demolition of the villa of the Schlaraffia association in Jablonec nad Nisou, if it is proven that it did not have permission for this. CTK was told today by city hall spokesperson Adéla Říhová. Although the building authority issued a demolition permit to the company on March 14, the city of Jablonec appealed the decision. Regardless of this, the company began demolishing the building on Saturday in the vicinity of the bus station. According to co-owner Radek Malina, the demolition permit is valid; the city appealed too late.

The villa near the bus station was built in 1908 as the residence of one of the clubs of the Schlaraffia men's association. It was exceptional because this association typically only rented its premises. The building, constructed in a historicizing style, was acquired by MALINA - safety along with the land in 2006. "Even when we were buying the property, I clearly expressed my intention to use the land under the building as a building plot for the future development of our business activities," Malina stated.

Eleven years ago, the owners and the then leadership of the city hall agreed on the restoration of the villa, which was to become part of a business, production, and administrative center. However, no reconstruction was initiated. The owner then tried to sell the property, offering the building to the city or other interested parties for one crown, on the condition that they would dismantle the villa and rebuild it elsewhere. There was no interest, and the costs would have been high.

"As native residents of Jablonec, we were interested in reaching a compromise that would preserve at least part of the building and simultaneously allow further development of our company. Unfortunately, the demands from the city were unrealistic and gradually became harassing. The historical value of the property, which the city relies on, has not been confirmed by the Ministry of Culture either. Based on this fact, we applied for a demolition permit, which we obtained in March of this year, and against which no one appealed within the statutory period of 15 days," Malina stated on the company's website. According to him, the mayor's appeal came only after the statutory deadline.

City hall secretary Marek Řeháček denies that the city's appeal came late. "We are convinced that they were demolishing unlawfully, that the permit was not valid. At this moment, the documentation is ready to be submitted to the Liberec region, where they will have to decide," Řeháček told CTK. Whether the company had the right to demolish the building is being investigated by the police, and the city hall is additionally considering filing a criminal complaint due to the demolition. According to Říhová, the site was not sufficiently secured during the demolition on Saturday, large pieces of wall were falling onto the roadway, which people walk on and buses travel to the nearby station. Additionally, there was a market near the demolition site on Saturday.

The villa is not indeed a cultural monument; however, according to preservationists, it is valuable. "For that reason, about eight years ago, I submitted a proposal for it to be declared a cultural monument, and I subsequently submitted an appeal against the then-decision of the Ministry of Culture. The house is valuable both from a historical and architectural perspective," said Miloš Krčmář, director of the National Heritage Institute's Liberec office, to CTK. He was shocked by the state of the building on Saturday. "The roofs are gone, the tower is gone, so at this point, the question is whether there is a chance to save it; I think not much," he added.