Praha has once again approved the change of the zoning plan for the airport track

Prague - A new runway at Prague-Ruzyně airport can be built. Prague city councilors today approved a change to the zoning plan that will allow its construction. The change was first approved a year ago. However, in July, the Supreme Administrative Court annulled the decision based on a complaint by Petr Hlávka and Miloš Bělohradský from Prague-Nebušice.
    The current amendment takes into account the ruling of the Supreme Administrative Court, according to Deputy Mayor Jan Bürgermeister (ODS). "The council addressed all the comments," said the deputy mayor.
    The Supreme Administrative Court stated that the city council acted arbitrarily when it denied Hlávka and Bělohradský participation in the proceedings by stating that they were not concerned. The court also noted that the council failed to address the comments from municipal districts and did not consider the objections of the Ministry of the Environment. Additionally, the agreement from the environmental department of the city council was also missing.
    Bürgermeister today reminded that the current amendment is solely about allowing the new runway to be constructed before 2010. "The construction of the new runway will eliminate flight operations on the cross runway, which directs aircraft over densely populated areas," added the deputy mayor.
    In 2004, the majority of residents from the municipal districts of Nebušice and Přední Kopanina expressed opposition to the planned construction in local referendums. Some Prague city halls also had objections. Among the critics of the construction is the Civic Association for Nebušice. According to the chairman of the association, Jan Holub, it is alarming that the change should be adopted again. "For us, this only means that we will file a new lawsuit," Holub told ČTK.
    The Prague city council also decided today to file a constitutional complaint against the ruling of the Supreme Administrative Court. "In our opinion, the Supreme Administrative Court decided in violation of the Constitution because it interfered with the right of self-government," stated the deputy mayor. He believes that the Constitutional Court must clarify the position of the Supreme Administrative Court.
    The change to the zoning plan was created based on a special law that declared the construction of the third runway to be in the public interest. The airport is currently preparing for the construction, conducting environmental impact assessments, and purchasing land. Part of the land has been purchased by the investment group Penta. The construction, estimated to cost five to seven billion, was supposed to start next year, with completion planned for 2009.