The magistrate will buy land for the construction of a new street in Karlín

Prague - The Prague Magistrate will purchase certain plots of land with unused buildings in Karlín for the construction of the extension of Pobřežní Street. According to today's decision by the assembly, it will pay 96 million crowns for them. Several members of the assembly pointed out that the parcels were previously owned by the Prague Engineering Works, which is a subsidiary of the Public Transport Company of the capital city of Prague. The company belongs to the city.
    "The Prague Engineering Works sold the premises, and now we have reached the point where the city is buying back part of it from the buyer. Next time, it would be much better to buy the land from city organizations and simplify our path to the project we are planning," said Petr Zajíček (KSČM).
    Tomáš Homola (SNK ED) also labeled the procedure as non-systematic, although he has no objections to the deal. "If we had bought it from the Prague Engineering Works, there wouldn't be any speculation about the price now," he said.
    According to Homola's party colleague and the mayor's deputy Markéta Reedová, the city does not lose anything from the transaction. "It can be said that we are buying cheaper," highlighted the deputy. The construction of Pobřežní Street from Invalidovna to Libeň Bridge will, according to her, be partially funded by European Union funds. If the city did not own the plots, it would not receive the contribution, she added.
    Councilor Radovan Šteiner (ODS) pointed out that the Prague Engineering Works was a joint-stock company, and the premises were contributed to it. "The city cannot nationalize or expropriate property belonging to a joint-stock company," Šteiner noted.
    Pobřežní Street is expected to become the new main street in Karlín. The district, which was hit by a flood five years ago in August, is already protected from major floods by barriers. Houses are to be built around the new Pobřežní Street. Other essentially unused plots should be modified and serve for the recreation of residents.