Bém: Prague will invest nearly 74 billion by 2011

Prague - The capital city will invest nearly 74 billion crowns by 2011. The priority is the completion of the northwestern and southwestern parts of the city ring road, the metro to Letňany, and the construction of the central wastewater treatment plant in Troja. This was stated by Prague mayor Pavel Bém at today's Žofín Forum. "Next year we will have the historically largest investment budget, those 15 billion are really something," said Bém.
    According to Bém, the northwestern part of the inner ring should be completed by 2011. "It is not possible for it not to be so," added the mayor. The outer transport skeleton should be operational by 2012. The mayor does not expect that the city will receive money from the European Union funds for the ring roads. The capital mainly receives funds for so-called soft projects, which include education, for example. "European money has little significance for us," Bém said.
    Unlike roads, the city could receive a significant portion of the total approximately ten billion that the new treatment plant will cost from the EU cohesion fund. "At this moment we are looking for the most environmentally friendly option for the entire Troja valley, as well as the cheapest possible option in relation to the capital's budget," Bém said. Part of the funds should also be provided by the company Vivendi.
    From 2010 to 2016, Bém then identified the first section of the metro line D, metro line A from Dejvická to Ruzyně, which is likely to begin construction before 2010, and the northeastern part of the city ring as the most important investments. The construction of line D is being prepared by the municipality as a PPP project. "I am really curious about what will come out of it. It is usually said: learn PPP projects on a smaller model because if you 'mess it up', pardon my expression, you will spoil less," Bém stated. The city also considered a PPP project for the construction of the northwestern ring but ultimately decided to finance it itself.