New headquarters for the Supreme Audit Office will not be purchased by the state, the government opposed it today

Prague - The government today did not approve the purchase of a new building for the Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ) due to the unfavorable economic situation. Prime Minister Petr Nečas (ODS) stated this to reporters after the cabinet meeting. He also pointed out that there is no reason to continue the long-term lease of the current NKÚ premises. According to him, the office could potentially move into space that will be vacated after the merger of the Ministries of Transport and Industry.
     The president of the NKÚ, Miloslav Kala, stated that he respects the government's decision, and the office will now do everything possible to negotiate the most economically favorable lease "with one of the entities" offering rental space. "If the NKÚ had not dedicated such effort to finding a new headquarters, it would not have received such a favorable offer to extend the lease at the current office, where, compared to last year, we are being offered a third of the rent," said Kala, whose reaction was conveyed to ČTK by NKÚ spokesperson Olga Málková.
     The office currently resides in a rented building called Tokovo in Prague's Holešovice district. Members of the parliamentary control committee have criticized this lease several times as being too expensive, and the rental contract is set to expire this year. Therefore, the office has been looking for a new headquarters. The owner of Tokovo is the company CPI Group, owned by entrepreneur Radovan Vítek. Currently, NKÚ pays 45 million crowns per year for 10,000 square meters. This amount is reportedly what the developer is ready to significantly reduce.
     The office has previously stated that it received several offers for relocation and evaluated the purchase of the building of the lottery company Sazka in Prague's Vysočany as the most advantageous. Its acquisition would cost the state budget 327 million crowns. CPI Group has criticized this plan of the office. They even want to file several criminal complaints as they suspect misappropriation of state funds.
     The chairman of the parliamentary control committee, Vojtěch Filip (KSČM), told ČTK today that he understands the cabinet's decision. While the deputies indicated that purchasing a new building "is possible," Filip understands why the government made this decision given the current economic situation. According to the committee chairman, Tokovo now offers a rent significantly lower than what NKÚ currently pays. In the future, state buildings should be found where the office can be located, added Filip.
     The Prime Minister justified today's government decision by the economic situation. "We are convinced that in the current economic situation, the government should not be purchasing further buildings for offices," said Nečas. Moreover, according to him, the new building would remain half unused once occupied by the office, and it would be necessary to consolidate other state institutions into it. The Prime Minister further stated that the government will seek a short “transitional period” lease for the current NKÚ headquarters. The short-term lease should last until the end of next year. "There is no reason to purchase new office buildings for the state," added Nečas.
     The office previously stated in a report to MPs that buying the Sazka building is more advantageous than extending the lease in the current building. NKÚ, referencing an expert assessment from ČVUT specialists, claims that buying this building, even when accounting for necessary related investments, is the most advantageous option since there is a possibility of reducing operating costs by up to one-third.
     However, the owner of the Tokovo building accuses the office of distorting the assessment ordered from the ČVUT experts. The NKÚ denied this and Kala labeled the accusation as outrageous.