UNESCO evaluated Prague's care for its historic core

Prague - The World Heritage Committee at its meeting in Quebec, Canada, praised the care of the historical core of Prague and approved the measures that the capital city and the Czech Republic are taking in this area. It also praised the reports prepared by the Prague City Hall and the Ministry of Culture. This was reported to ČTK by Zdeněk Novák, the director of one of the sections of the ministry. Prague Mayor Pavel Bém (ODS) and head of the city hall's heritage conservation department Jan Kněžínek are very pleased with the reports. According to Martin Skalský from the Arnika association, however, care for Prague's heritage has a number of gaps.
    "The decision made by the World Heritage Committee will be officially delivered to the Czech Republic by September of this year at the latest, and then it can be published," Novák stated. Even now, however, he informed ČTK that the committee discussed the report on the care of the historic core of the metropolis and approved measures for the capital city and the republic. It also issued recommendations for further care of the historical center of Prague, based on a UNESCO monitoring mission from early this year.
    "The Prague monument reservation is completely unique, and the scope and quality of heritage preservation in a global context is also extraordinary. The report on the evaluation of Prague pleased me very much," Bém wrote to ČTK.
    "The committee further highlighted the report prepared by the city hall and the Ministry of Culture as exceptional in its kind and recommended to the World Heritage Centre that it be published on its website as a model worthy of following," Novák added. The Czech Republic and Prague sent a total of three documents to the UNESCO committee - a study, respectively a progress report on the processing of a study regarding the methodology for evaluating the potential construction of high-rise buildings in the city, the Report on the State of Heritage Preservation in the Historical Core of Prague, and the Declaration on the World Heritage Value of Prague.
    "I would like to thank all my colleagues who were helpful in preparing the report for UNESCO and especially all those who contributed to maintaining the current unique beauty of Prague," Kněžínek told ČTK. He interprets the committee's praise as recognition of the work of all involved; the report was developed by the city hall's heritage department, the Prague City Development Authority, the National Heritage Institute of Prague, and the Ministry of Culture.
    Skalský from the association opposing the construction of high-rise buildings in Pankrác tempers the optimism of the reports. Nevertheless, he also appreciates the documents submitted by the Czech Republic. "They seem to have a good level," Skalský told ČTK. "However, this does not say anything substantial about the actual situation in Prague - one thing is the documents, another is reality, and the care for heritage in Prague has a number of significant gaps," Skalský added. He believes it is premature to evaluate the committee's actions, as there is no official decision available. "I believe that Mr. Novák has already demonstrated in the past through his positions that he tends to stand more on the side of investment projects than heritage preservation, so his statements may be distorted," Skalský thinks.
    The report is indeed a surprising turnaround considering the signals that the committee has been sending recently. Last year, UNESCO expressed "serious concern" regarding the planned construction of additional high-rise buildings in Pankrác. Shortly thereafter, the Ministry of Culture closed the administrative proceedings concerning skyscrapers and confirmed the city hall's decision that allowed the buildings. The Pankrác Plain is in the protective zone of the monument reservation. Critics of the planned construction on the Pankrác Plain strongly pointed out at that time that Prague could face removal from the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. However, in March of this year, they stated that removal is not currently a threat.
    The company ECM plans to build high-rise buildings, a luxury residential complex, and a hotel on the Pankrác Plain. The Building Authority of Prague 4 issued a land-use decision for the buildings, but civic associations are preparing an appeal. The decision will be discussed at the Prague City Hall in this case. Another investor, the joint-stock company Pankrác, also plans to build on Pankrác. It intends to create an administrative center, which, according to the Arnika civic association, should be nearly 80 meters tall.