The representatives of Uherské Hradiště will again discuss the transfer of the prison

Uherské Hradiště - The representatives of Uherské Hradiště will again discuss options for acquiring the former prison building on Wednesday. They will consider the possibility of a gratuitous transfer of ownership to the city due to public interest, the presentation of a special law after the upcoming elections to the Chamber of Deputies, and also the potential purchase of the prison for 16.5 million crowns. This was stated by the city's mayor Libor Karásek (ODS).
    Uherské Hradiště has been striving to transfer the prison for years. Most recently, a month ago, a law proposed by Uherské Hradiště MPs for the gratuitous transfer of the dilapidated building to the city's ownership was not approved. Thus, the offer to purchase the prison for 16.5 million crowns, which the Minister of Justice Daniela Kovářová brought to Slovácko in March, is still on the table. The town hall would pay half upon signing the purchase contract and the rest in regular installments over five years.
    According to an expert appraisal, the value of the prison is 35 million crowns. By law, the transfer is only possible at this determined price. The Ministry of Finance would therefore have to grant an exception for such a transfer. In the past, this effort has already failed once. According to Karásek, if the city buys the building, it would not have to pay the entire amount from its own resources. The Uherskohradišťská Foundation for Children-Culture-Sport reportedly verbally offered the mayor a grant of eight million crowns for this purpose.
    The city can also negotiate with the ministry about the gratuitous transfer of the building due to public interest. However, Karásek pointed out that in such a case, the use of the building would be limited. The state defines public interest as generally beneficial activities, such as culture, education, and social areas. "It would limit commercial dealings with the property, which is out of the question. Without that, it cannot be paid for," mentioned the mayor regarding the hundred-million costs for the prison's renovation.
    The city transferred the former prison to the Ministry of Justice in the 1990s. However, plans to convert the building into a remand prison with the district court and public prosecutor's office, which would have required hundred-million costs, fell through due to a lack of funds. The city unsuccessfully attempted to reverse the gratuitous transfer, and the attempt to purchase the building for 16.5 million crowns also failed. Last autumn, the representatives adopted a currently valid resolution by which the city intends to acquire the building only gratuitously.
    The prison was built at the end of the 19th century, has been empty since 1962, and has gradually deteriorated. If the city succeeds in acquiring the building, it plans to establish a museum of totality there in collaboration with the Zlín Region. Part of the space could also serve education, while a larger part would then be for commercial purposes.