<p>Prague has definitively rejected the possibility of moving officials to the barracks.</p>

Prague - The leadership of the capital city has definitively rejected the option of relocating its officials to Karlín Barracks. According to a municipal study, the premises are technically inadequate and do not have sufficient capacity. CTK was informed today by the spokesperson of the municipality, Vít Hofman. The barracks belong to the state, and the city had considered taking them over. This will not happen now, and Prague will look for a new location for its headquarters. In the past, there was talk of building a new building on Na Knížecí or purchasing the Škodův Palace, where a part of the officials are renting.

One of the problems with the barracks is the natural lighting, which would only meet the requirements for the second and third floors, where only a few hundred officials could be relocated. The premises are also unsuitable in terms of ventilation, air conditioning, or heating. A potential complete reconstruction would cost more than one billion crowns, and the subsequent operation of the building would be uneconomical. Additionally, the building is protected as a historical monument.

"Together with the councillor for property, Jan Chabr (TOP 09), we are considering building an environmentally friendly modern building in the city center, which would reduce all costs from the high rent of the Škodův Palace. However, we do not oppose a gratuitous takeover of the Karlín barracks if the state cannot find a use for them. It is certainly better than the state allowing a practically empty building to continue to deteriorate," stated the mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates).

According to Chabr, the municipality is currently monitoring the real estate market and evaluating the buildings owned by the city. "At this moment, we are clarifying the number of officials we need to place in a new location, and at the same time, we are analyzing the acquisition costs, maintenance costs over a twenty-year horizon, and operational costs for each property. From this analysis, we will determine what is most advantageous for us, and based on that, we will make a decision by the end of the year," he communicated.

Karlín Barracks were built between 1845 and 1848 by the Klein brothers. They have largely been preserved in their original state, including many details.

Prague officials are currently located in several places. A large portion of them is in Škodův Palace on Jungmannova Street. This building, however, does not belong to the city; it is only rented until 2028. In the past, there was talk of a possible purchase, but an agreement was never reached. The previous city leadership considered building a new building in Smíchov on the site of the current bus terminal. However, the plan was ultimately not approved.