Incoming Prague mayor opposed to idea of government quarter in city

The incoming mayor of Prague, Zdeněk Hřib from the Pirate Party, is against the prime minister’s idea of creating a government quarter in Prague. Mr. Hřib said at a press briefing on Monday that he did not approve of creating a monothematic quarter in any part of the city.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš who has long propagated the idea of a new government quarter which would bring together over eleven thousand public service employees, save operation costs and allow the sell-off of lucrative real estate in the centre of the city, has run into problems finding an appropriate location.

His plan to build such a quarter in Prague’s Letnany district was criticized by the Institute for Planning and Development and his idea of locating it in Holešovice is opposed by the mayor of that district Jan Čižinský.

Babiš wrote on Twitter on Monday that he would like to exchange real estate in some part of Prague in return for Veleslavín Chateau.