MK did not change the decision of the conservationists regarding the placement of the memorial to the aviators

Prague - The Ministry of Culture did not change the decision of the Prague conservationists, who rejected the placement of a memorial to Czechoslovak war pilots at Klárov in the spring. Their negative stance on the statue's permit, justified by the unsuitable location, the monument's monumental character, and the approach of the first municipal district, thus remains valid. Whether the monument will stay at the site or not must be decided by the building department of Prague 1. Its leadership does not consider the decision final and will submit a request for review.
    The statue was donated to Prague by the British community living in the Czech Republic and was realized in a very short time after the announcement of the intention. Experts from the National Heritage Institute and officials from the heritage department of the City Hall rejected it - the position of the National Heritage Institute is only advisory, but the decision of the Prague heritage department is binding. It is one of the expressions needed for the permit to place the monument. However, the building office of Prague 1 did not wait for their decision, citing a lack of time, and authorized the construction of the monument. The statue was unveiled on June 17, the same day the Prague conservationists issued their negative stance, and at the end of the month Prague 1 requested the Ministry of Culture to review it.
    "The Ministry of Culture assessed the request and found no legal reasons to review the position of the heritage care department of the Prague City Hall," said Helena Markusová, spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture, to ČTK today. The ministerial heritage department is an appellate body in the field of state heritage care and can annul the position of the Prague heritage department.
    Prague 1 insists that its officials made the right decision. "We will submit a proposal to the Minister of Culture and request a review of the decision. We believe that the form of the decision is not in accordance with the law; it must be a resolution," Oldřich Lomecký, the mayor of Prague 1, told ČTK.
    The statue, in the form of a two-meter-winged lion, is placed on a concrete pedestal covered with granite. The money for the statue, designed by British sculptor Colin Spofforth, was gathered by Britons living in the Czech Republic as a way to thank for the heroism of Czechoslovak pilots serving in the ranks of the British RAF.
    Prague conservationists also criticize the approach of Prague 1 and the British Embassy, saying they applied for the permit too late and without sufficient discussion. They offered alternative locations in the center of Prague.
    Czech and Slovak pilots etched themselves into the memory of the people of the United Kingdom, especially during the famous Battle of Britain. During it, the Nazis suffered their first significant defeat in World War II. In total, approximately 2,500 Czechoslovak pilots served in the British Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II, with 493 of them dying in combat.