Kolínska: Prague should buy the land at Victory Square

Prague - Prague should buy the land in front of the universities at Victory Square in Prague 6, where disputes over its use are taking place. Petra Kolínská (SZ/Trojkoalice), the deputy mayor, told ČTK. She presented the proposal today to the commission that deals with the reconstruction of the square. Construction was planned on the land in front of the universities, but disputes between the various participants have blocked the development of the area. Farmer's markets are currently held on the land.

"I proposed that as the capital city of Prague, we should negotiate the purchase of the land. In my opinion, it's the only way to untangle the knot of contracts and blockages," said Kolínská. According to her, the group primarily addresses the architectural reconstruction of the square, but should also address the ownership of the land concurrently.

The majority of the land is currently owned by the University of Chemistry and Technology. However, a private investor holds an easement here, and that investor has changed several times in recent years.

Prague City Council approved at the end of October the announcement of an international urban planning competition for the adjustments of Victory Square. The competition should bring proposals to enhance the square, resolve repairs, and utilize the ground floors of buildings. A working group composed of politicians and architects oversees this. One part of the square is not complete and suffers from a high level of traffic.

Victory Square was created in 1925 and currently several roads - Evropská, Čs. armády, Jugoslávských partyzánů, Svatovítská, and Dejvická - converge into it. Among other things, the building of the Ministry of Defense stands on the square.