Šlechtová wants to address problematic housing estates and integrate smaller municipalities

Prague - The solution of the housing estate issue and the need for the integration of smaller municipalities are the main outcomes of the UN's European Habitat conference for the Czech Republic. This was stated today after the end of the conference by the Minister for Regional Development, Karla Šlechtová (for ANO), during a meeting with journalists. The conference was held at the Congress Centre in Prague from Wednesday to Friday.
Šlechtová views the topic of housing estates and their future as a priority for the Czech Republic. "There is still discussion about new construction, its necessity or lack thereof, what it should look like, and what services it should provide. However, we have lost the discussion about how the existing housing estate constructions should change and develop," she stated.
Thanks to many programs, it has been possible to extend the lifespan of panel buildings, but according to Šlechtová, this is only a medium-term solution. "It's not just about the quality of housing. There should be public spaces with adequate access to services, but also to entertainment, relaxation, and sports," she added. She also wants to prevent certain housing estates from becoming marginalized areas.
"This year, we have already allocated 100 million for the demolition of dilapidated houses. But that does not mean that I want to demolish housing estates," she stated, reminding that the ministry already provides loans or grants for associations of apartment unit owners. "I want to compile statistics to find out the structure. And I will pressure the Minister of Finance to ensure that there are appropriate funds for housing policy in next year's budget," she added.
One of the factors that, according to her, affects the development of mainly rural areas in the Czech Republic is the large number of municipalities in relation to the area and population. There are 6,245 municipalities in the Czech Republic, with about 80 percent having fewer than 1,000 inhabitants. "The future undoubtedly lies in stronger integration of municipalities. This is also one of the conclusions we reached at the conference. It does not mean that municipalities would cease to exist or necessarily merge. But there should be an immediate start to the process of sharing authorities, development plans, or transportation solutions," said Šlechtová. Integration, according to her, would also lead to more meaningful utilization of European grants.
During the three-day European Habitat conference, more than 50 speakers took the stage, attended by delegates from 56 predominantly European countries. The outcome of the conference is the Prague Declaration, which will represent one of the regional contributions to the global Habitat III summit. It will be held in October in Quito, Ecuador.