The castle in Moravský Krumlov will be auctioned on June 29th

Moravský Krumlov (Znojemsko) - The castle in Moravský Krumlov will go up for auction on June 29. This was decided by the Municipal Court in Prague, which granted the proposal for a preliminary measure by court executor Jiří Prošek, as indicated by documents in the insolvency register. A week earlier, the same request by the owner of the castle, the company Reality MK, was denied. The court deemed this proposal defective and vague. The town had previously expressed interest in the castle, but now, due to the approaching date, it is unsure whether it will participate in the auction, Mayor Tomáš Třetina said today to ČTK.

The starting price is 14 million crowns, and interested parties must pay a bidding deposit of 500,000 crowns. An expert assessment valued the castle at 21 million crowns. The court's decision states that there are multiple interested parties for the castle. However, Třetina told ČTK that prior to the auction in January, which the court postponed, the town and one other interested party had registered. That party eventually withdrew its application. "I currently do not know of anyone who would want to buy the castle, and I assume that they would have come to the town to inquire if they were interested," Třetina said.

The mayor will meet with councilors this evening to agree on further steps. There is no time to convene an extraordinary council meeting. "We will agree on a procedure before and after the auction. What we agree upon will stand, even if it is just a meeting," Třetina said. However, he does not want to anticipate what the procedure might be.

The town has a long-term interest in purchasing the castle and having exhibitions dedicated to art. Partially restored, after the completion of reconstruction, Krumlov's councilors would like to negotiate with Prague to return the work of painter Alfons Mucha, the Slavic Epic, to the castle. This collection of 23 paintings is the property of the capital city, where the epic is currently exhibited. For more than half a century, it was presented in the Krumlov castle.

The court ordered the auction because the jewelry company Pretis from Nové Město nad Metují filed for insolvency in January the day before the planned auction, aiming for its "apparent frustration." Furthermore, the court emphasized that this is not a commonly sold item and it is difficult to find interested parties. Prolonging the insolvency proceedings could lead to a loss of interest. Additionally, the high management costs should be borne by the bidder, not the owner. The court also urged the parties in the dispute to reach an amicable settlement, which was not successful.

Pretis demands nearly ten million, including interest, the validity of which was confirmed by the court. The owner of the castle also owes nine million to the parent company Incheba. The sister company Incheba Expo Praha demands payment of 16 million, while the debtor acknowledges 2.4 million crowns. According to the court, the interests of the creditors cannot be harmed by this procedure.