Two years ago, Kaplický won the competition for the Library

Prague - Development of events surrounding the new building of the National Library (NK) since the announcement of the architectural competition results:

March 2, 2007 - The results of the international competition for the new NK building were announced. The winning proposal was announced as the project by architect Jan Kaplický and the Future Systems studio.

March 8, 2007 - The Czech Chamber of Architects (ČKA) issued a statement indicating that the winner violated the competition conditions by placing the conservation fund underground. The ČKA requested the International Union of Architects (UIA) to review the regularity of the competition.

May 3, 2007 - President Václav Klaus expressed opposition to the construction of the NK according to Jan Kaplický's proposal.

August 23, 2007 - The Office for the Protection of Economic Competition (ÚOHS) announced that it would not address the competition for the NK building, as it was beyond its purview. The ÚOHS made a similar decision in October following a renewed submission.

October 11, 2007 - According to Lidové noviny, the ODS club of Prague representatives does not want the construction in Letná and rejects the sale of land. Mayor Pavel Bém (ODS) also described the location of the building as unfortunate.

October 15, 2007 - Ježek rejected the objections of the Prague ODS. According to him, the representatives were aware of the changes regarding the land and agreed with them.

October 16, 2007 - Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek (ODS) stated that the new NK building is not among the current government's priorities.

October 17, 2007 - Minister of Culture Václav Jehlička (KDU-ČSL) stated that his ministry does not plan funds for construction this year.

October 18, 2007 - Kaplický and Bém agreed that the new building should be constructed in Prague and that solutions must be sought for the situation.

October 25, 2007 - After a meeting of the representatives, Bém announced the formation of a group that would deal with the new NK building.

February 6, 2008 - Ježek announced that the NK has a statement from the UIA, which accepts the results of the competition.

February 25, 2008 - Based on a prompt from the Ministry of Culture (MK), the ÚOHS began to reconsider the competition. This time, the ministry requested a statement on whether a public contract could be awarded based on the competition.

April 22, 2008 - The head of the antimonopoly office Martin Pecina stated in an interview with the newspaper Právo, among other things, that the library in its current form in Letná will never be built according to him.

April 29, 2008 - Jan Kaplický's team modified the design of the new NK building so that the construction could fit on the original plot.

May 4, 2008 - According to Minister Jehlička, there is no money for the NK building based on Kaplický's proposal. The budget allocates 1.9 billion crowns for the library, while the project would cost around four billion.

July 23, 2008 - Jehlička stated that the new NK building according to Kaplický's design will not be built in Prague's Letná. According to the minister, it is necessary to focus on the revitalization of Klementinum.

August 7, 2008 - The ÚOHS stated that the competition for the new NK building in Prague, in which Kaplický succeeded, was contrary to the law according to the European Commission. Following the commission's opinion, the Czech antimonopoly office will likely recommend to the library to annul the original competition, said Jindřiška Koblihová, the vice-chairwoman of the office.

August 26, 2008 - NK Director Ježek announced that he would not annul the competition for the new building as recommended by the ÚOHS. In a letter to the Minister of Culture, he stated that canceling the competition could lead to an arbitration dispute with its winner, and possibly with other participants.

September 9, 2008 - Minister of Culture Václav Jehlička dismissed Vlastimil Ježek. The reason was issues surrounding the planned construction of the new National Library building.

October 20, 2008 - Kaplický refused to accept an award for contributions in the field of architecture from the Ministry of Culture. He said that he wants to wait until he really accomplishes something for Czech architecture.

December 11, 2008 - Prague representatives did not extend the deadline for meeting the conditions for the sale of land for the construction of the new NK building. That deadline also expired on December 31.

January 14, 2009 - Architect Jan Kaplický suddenly passed away.

February 5, 2009 - Several hundred people demonstrated in Prague in support of the construction of the new NK building according to Kaplický's design.

March 2, 2009 - The deadline for awarding the project for the construction of the new National Library building expired.