Diplomacy wants at Expo 2015, but with significant involvement of companies

Prague - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposes to the government the participation of the Czech Republic in the next World Expo 2015 in Milan, but it wants significant involvement from the non-state and private sectors. The total costs of the Czech participation are estimated at 300 to 350 million crowns, with the state providing 170 million. The remainder, around half, should be covered by companies that would like to participate in the Czech presentation in the industrial metropolis of Italy.
Participation in the last World Expo in Shanghai two years ago was funded by the state, which allocated half a billion crowns for it; for the previous Expo 2005 in Japan, the amount was 300 million. Now, the diplomacy wants to save significantly. The government is expected to decide on the proposal on Wednesday.
It will be delayed by nearly one and a half years, as the official invitation from the Italian organizers arrived in the Czech Republic at the beginning of last year. The delays and thus a shorter time for creating the exhibition, as well as the need to seek private parties interested in participation, can significantly complicate preparations for the costly marketing event for the state, experts believe.
In the material for the cabinet, the ministry proposes that the government allocate 100 million crowns from the state budget for the marketing event, while another 70 million should come from funds that the state managed to save or earn from the budget of the previous exhibition in China.
The government should also approve the call for bids for the general commissioner of the Czech exposition. The office for preparing the Expo was recently closed by the diplomacy; according to former general commissioner Pavel Stehlík, this was a mistake. Everything will have to start anew if the government ultimately agrees to the Czech participation, Stehlík said recently.
So far, 85 countries from around the world have registered for Expo 2015 in Milan. The upcoming exhibition in Milan will have the motto "Feeding the planet, energy for life".