The office has initiated proceedings for the demolition of the villa where Antonín Novotný lived

Prague - The building authority of Prague 5 has initiated proceedings for the demolition of a first-republic villa in Malvazinky, Prague, where the communist president Antonín Novotný once lived. This was confirmed to ČTK by the spokesperson of the city hall of the fifth municipal district, Markéta Drešlová. A private investor wants to build a family house and two apartment buildings instead of the villa. Local residents criticize the plan.

"Yes, the building authority is conducting proceedings for the removal of the building at the request of the applicant. Among other things, it has a positive binding opinion from the conservation department of the capital city. From the authority's perspective, this is a completely standard administrative procedure," confirmed the spokesperson. The villa from 1929 is not protected as a monument, as the ministry rejected a request for protection in the past.

Instead of the villa, the company Na Loužku in cooperation with the developer Red Group wants to build an apartment project. Local associations Friends of Malvazinky and For Green Malvazinky are protesting against the plan. According to them, the project represents a threefold increase in built-up area compared to the existing villa, and it clearly shows an attempt to maximize floor space regardless of the surroundings. Another similar project is planned in the same street, and nearby there are plans for development in the Na Pláni area, which some locals also disagree with.

The associations also criticize the fact that the territory committee of Prague 5 issued a positive opinion on the project, although according to locals, it violates the principles of the municipal district for development in similar villa districts. The mayor of Prague 5, Daniel Mazur (Pirates), stated in the past that the local government has no way to prevent a private owner from disposing of their property.

The villa on Na Loužku Street was nationalized after the communist coup and in the 1950s, Antonín Novotný moved into it. Between 1957 and 1968, when he held the position of Czechoslovak president, he did not live in the house; he returned there afterward. After his death, the minister of health during normalization, Jaroslav Prokopec, resided in the villa.

Malvazinky and Košíře in Prague 5 have long been a sought-after location for residential construction. This often displeases local residents, who believe that modern developments disrupt the character of the neighborhoods and come at the expense of green spaces. In the past, there were several controversial projects related to former mayor Milan Jančík (formerly ODS). Many of these involved transactions by the municipal district concerning land, which prompted police interest in the former mayor several times.