The demonstrators expressed dissent against the relocation of the Most library

Most - Several dozen people gathered today in front of the City Library in Most to express their disagreement with the relocation of the library to the Repre building in the city center. They are upset that the city management does not know what will happen to the current library building. According to Adam Komenda, an opposition councilor (Pirates) and the organizer of the demonstration, things happening around the library remind him of the era before November 1989.

The demonstration is also linked to a petition against the relocation of the library, which has been signed by 1,100 people. "We placed the petition in the library; this is allowed by the right to petition to place a petition in any public building," Komenda told ČTK. The petition was also at the city hall. In both cases, someone moved the petition to a place where citizens could hardly find it, and in one case, it disappeared. "We lost about 40 signatures," Komenda said. He added that someone called the police on him today while he was distributing flyers for organizing the demonstration.

"What happened around this reminds me in hints of what happened before 1989," Komenda said. He would like the demonstration to motivate people to express their disagreement. "At the council meeting, I will now strive to ensure that designated areas for petitions are established in all public buildings," Komenda said.

The building was constructed in the 1980s solely for library purposes. People are concerned that most of the books will end up in storage due to lack of space. "Don't take my books," the banners proclaimed. Demonstrators are also upset that the city did not ask citizens if they agreed with the relocation of the library. Some of them held banners reading "Referendum on the Library."

The mayor of Most, Jan Paparega (ProMOST), told ČTK today that the library is being relocated to bring life back to the city center. "As part of the overall reconstruction (of Repre), the project documentation was commissioned with the intention of moving the library," he stated. He added that the city is also considering the future of the current library building. "We are addressing several plans that we want to develop further and then discuss with the public what they would envision for that building," he said. Currently, there are four options for the use of the building, but the mayor has not wanted to specify them for now. He noted that Repre has a large background, so there will be no problem accommodating all the books.

The library building is in poor technical condition, and the reconstruction would be costly according to the city. The relocation is not favored by part of the Most public.

The library was opened to the public in 1985 and boasts the longest chandelier in European libraries, among other features. A double helix made of glass tubes winds above the bookshelves along the entire length of the building. The work of artistic glassmaker Vladimír Procházka corresponds with the size of the open spaces being built at that time.