The referendum will not decide on the demolition of the Hold building in Mělník

Mělník - The referendum will not decide on the demolition of the Hold building in Karl IV Square in Mělník. On Monday, the councilors did not approve its announcement, among other reasons due to the high costs of the referendum, which would amount to about half a million crowns. "The second argument is that we are getting rid of our representative role," said Mělník's deputy mayor Petr Volf (Mělničané) to ČTK today. On Thursday, the Mělník council will discuss the demolition, and they should also address the date when the councilors will make a decision on the demolition.

The demolition of the building could start as early as next year, with estimated costs potentially exceeding ten million crowns.

The city leadership wanted to hold a referendum on the demolition concurrently with the autumn parliamentary elections. Some councilors wanted to involve the public, as none of the parties included the demolition in their agenda during the last municipal elections. For the referendum to be valid, at least 35 percent of the Mělník voters would have to participate, according to the law.

The unfinished building, also known as Teherán or Amerika, dates back to the socialist era. Its reconstruction would be costly and difficult to adapt to current requirements; therefore, the city hall is considering demolition and new construction, which a private investor could assist with. There are currently several options, but the condition is that the spaces in the square primarily serve the public.

The square is set to undergo a complete transformation in the coming years, and the city hall has commissioned a study for the modifications, which will still be adjusted according to feedback from experts and citizens. After that, the city will prepare a project.