The dispute over the demolition in Soukenická may end up at the European Court

Prague - The dispute over the demolition of a historical building in Soukenická Street in the center of Prague may end up in a European court. According to the Ministry of Regional Development (MMR) and the city hall, the demolition ordered by the building authority of Prague 1 was illegal. Viktor Vlček, vice-chairman of the board of the company Bau-Invest that owns the building, told ČTK that the company faced fines for not complying with the building authority's orders. The classicist building was demolished last autumn; the owner claimed it was contaminated with chemicals.

"We will proceed in the matter as the law allows us, and it is quite possible that we will end up in a European court," Vlček stated. According to him, the company was only fulfilling what the authority ordered. "The building authority assessed the situation as very serious and threatening to the lives and health of people in the vicinity and issued the respective order," he added.

The Prague city hall and MMR disagree with him. According to city officials, demolition is only permissible if the building poses a threat to health and lives, which has not been proven.

The investor, who claimed the building was contaminated with chemicals, initially requested the demolition order himself. He then withdrew the request, after which the authority subsequently ordered it.

Heritage conservationists approved the completion of the original building into an eight-story administrative-residential object, but the condition was its preservation. "The demolition of the building closed the door for the builder to the existing zoning decision," said director of the city conservationists' department Jiří Skalický to ČTK last year. The building had been empty since 2007. The investor committed to preserving the historical cellars, gates, and truss, which have been preserved after the demolition.