In the case of high-rise buildings in Pankrác, a lawsuit may be filed

Prague - Participants in the administrative proceedings regarding the approval of high-rise buildings in Prague's Pankrác are considering filing a lawsuit. The Ministry of Culture has now concluded the proceedings, confirming the decision of the city hall that permits the buildings. "From the perspective of Czech law, the only option to protest against the decision is to file a lawsuit," said Martin Skalský today to ČTK, from the association that is involved in the proceedings.
    Other options for opposing the ministry's ruling include international legal avenues; civic associations are also planning to reach out to UNESCO again, whose committee has expressed serious concern about the planned buildings' design.
    While for heritage conservation experts this wording represents a warning, the ministry downplays it. It states that while the committee expressed concerns about the possible threat to the values of Prague's heritage reserve, it did not reject the proposed buildings, unlike other cases - Dresden, Riga, or St. Petersburg.
    The Ministry of Culture's decision has not yet become legally binding; the ministry sent it out to the participants in the proceedings at the end of last week. Therefore, the process of issuing zoning and building permits cannot begin yet, but the process of approval from the perspective of heritage conservation has ended with the current decision of the ministry.
    According to the ministry, the buildings will not disrupt the values of Prague's heritage reserve. However, the UNESCO committee is currently addressing this aspect of the buildings, and Prague is expected to describe how it proceeds regarding the planned high-rise buildings by February next year.
    The intended Pankrác buildings could set a precedent according to heritage conservationists - whether they are approved or not, or built in one form or another, relevant authorities will adhere to this approval in the future.
    The dispute over high-rise buildings in Pankrác has been ongoing since 1999. Last year, city hall heritage officials approved their construction, but civic associations protested this decision to the Ministry of Culture and also reached out to UNESCO. The ministry addressed the complaints, and based on its comments, the city hall issued a new, again consenting opinion. The association appealed again, and the matter ended up back at the Ministry of Culture. The minister filed a complaint - again revoking the city hall's permit.
    In June of this year, the ministry interrupted the administrative proceedings, stating that it would decide once the UNESCO committee expressed its opinion on the project. The committee met at the end of June. Its participant, the chairman of the Czech national committee of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) Josef Štulc, stated that the committee expressed serious concern about the proposed design of the buildings, which is the first step that could be followed by a listing on the World Heritage in Danger list.
    The company ECM, which plans the buildings in Pankrác, intends to present the project at a press conference on Thursday.