KSČM lost the court case regarding the building where it is located in Prague

Prague - The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM) lost a court case over the building on Politických vězňů street in central Prague, where the party is currently based. They must sell it for 410 million crowns, according to the news server Novinky.cz. KSČM chairman Vojtěch Filip disagrees with the ruling. Once the party receives the judgment, they will evaluate it and decide on an appeal, according to Filip. The Communists decided to sell the party headquarters to Poste Re at the end of 2005. However, in February of this year, the executive committee reassessed their intention. The company, however, sued the Communists and insisted on the sale.
    At today's press conference, KSČM chairman Vojtěch Filip stated that the decision is not final, and the party will decide whether to appeal it. "In the first instance, the court for Prague 1 ruled on the obligation to conclude a purchase contract for this building, which contradicts the Constitutional Court's finding that judgments should not apply retroactively," Filip said in response to a question from ČTK.
    Filip disagrees with the ruling from a legal standpoint as well. "I am convinced that it is not possible to issue judgments that are not enforceable," he stated. According to him, the ruling has only been announced so far. "As soon as we receive it, we will try to refute the court's written reasoning," he added.
    Initially, the Communists wanted to sell the building on Politických vězňů street and buy a new headquarters in Prague's Vysočany district. However, they reconsidered the property purchase, for which they paid a fine of 20 million crowns. The current headquarters on Politických vězňů street was purchased by KSČM from Czech Railways after November 1989.
    Due to criticism over disadvantageous contracts regarding the sale and purchase of party properties, Vice-Chairman Václav Exner had to leave the party leadership last December. The preparation and signing of contracts were entrusted to Exner and the late Vice-Chairman František Toman.