Macinka: Financial consequences of Expo 2025 threaten future of Czech Centres

The Czech minister of foreign affairs, Petr Macinka, says the financial consequences of funding the Czech pavilion at the World Expo in Japan’s Osaka last year could threaten the future and funding of the Czech Centres network. He made the comment after a government meeting on Monday.

The Czech Centres, which are run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are organisationally linked to the country’s Expo 2025 project, which went considerably over budget. Mr. Macinka said his officials had recorded court disputes and pre-litigation claims involving the network amounting to tens of millions of Czech crowns.

The minister previously cut funding to the Czech Centres and the closures of some branches were announced.