Prague will complete the ongoing projects and start saving

Prague - Prague will continue next year with the ongoing projects, such as the construction of the city ring road, the extension of metro line A, or the purchase of new trams. Children up to 15 years old and adults over 65 could expect free public transport in Prague's MHD. Additionally, the city will need to save money, as it is expected to repay a bond issue amounting to five billion crowns in May. The new leadership of the capital will also have to decide on several important issues, such as the future of the Slav Epic in Moravský Krumlov, the reconstruction of the central wastewater treatment plant, or the debt relief of the congress center.
    According to spokeswoman Ilona Vysoudilová, the Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) will launch barrier-free elevators to the subway stations Háje and Národní třída in the first quarter of next year. The reconstruction and extension of the tram line to Podbaby will also commence, for which the company will receive a European subsidy. New Škoda ForCity (15T) trams are expected to appear in the capital throughout the year, with 25 of them being delivered to Prague by Škoda from Plzeň by March. "Construction of metro line A and project work on the new line D will also continue," Vysoudilová told ČTK.
    The Technical Administration of Roads (TSK) will continue the reconstruction of Michelská street and the Štěrboholská radial road. The Vysočanská radial could also be completed. Additionally, TSK primarily plans to repair the Nusle Bridge.
    The new city leadership, which emerged from the October elections, wants to implement free fares for children up to 15 years old and adults over 65 starting in July. So far, only children under ten and pensioners over 70 have been able to use public transport in the capital for free. According to the Ropid organization, such a measure would cause a loss of approximately 167 million crowns in ticket revenue for the transport company annually. The city would then have to cover this loss.
    Prague is expected to have lower revenues than in some previous years. The city leadership has previously indicated that it will need to save money next year. Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda stated at the last meeting of the finance committee that the city would have to reassess some investments. According to him, the savings should concern DPP, TSK, and the construction of the city ring road.
    Moreover, the capital will have to repay a bond issue of five billion crowns by mid-May. This is stated in the approved budget proposal for the next year. Since these expenses are expected to negatively affect the city's finances, the document proposes issuing a new bond issue. Prague will also lose state contributions for projects funded by the European Union. If Prague were to cover the contribution itself, it would amount to approximately 582 million crowns.
    The capital city also wants to continue transitioning from paper tram passes to the opencard system. Paper coupons for university students will be abolished, and without an opencard, it will probably only be possible to purchase anonymous transferable tickets, which are more expensive than regular coupons.
    The city council is facing several important decisions next year. It will have to address how to proceed with the billion-crown tender for the expansion of the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant, the management of the opencard project, and the debt relief of the congress center. The new leadership has already canceled the tender for managing the opencard project, and the cancellation of the tender for the treatment plant is being considered. Prague approved this year the plan of the community Penta Investments and Zátiší Catering Group on how to eliminate the two-billion crown debt of the congress center. The new leadership intends to revisit this plan.
    It is expected that the new leadership will also decide whether to relocate Mucha's cycle of paintings, the Slav Epic, which is currently housed in Moravský Krumlov Castle, back to Prague. It is anticipated that they will also reassess some decisions made by the previous leadership, such as the homelessness policy and the plan to transform the Prague Information Service into a joint-stock company.
    The previous leadership made decisions on several contracts, and the new city council will have to determine whether to proceed with them based on financial capabilities. This includes, among other things, the planned reconstruction of the burned-out Industrial Palace, the completion of the Šutka complex, and the construction of a new pavilion for elephants, hippos, and antelopes at the Prague zoo.
    Next year, a decision from the Constitutional Court in Brno regarding the complaint about the division of Prague into seven districts for the elections to the Prague council is also expected. This complaint was filed in December by representatives of the Green Party, SNK ED, and Public Affairs.