The government approved a new assessment of bids for the repair of the State Opera

Prague - The Ministry of Culture will reassess the offers from candidates for the reconstruction of the buildings of the State Opera in Prague. The government approved the creation of a new evaluation committee today. Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (ČSSD) told reporters after the government meeting. A committee had already evaluated seven offers from bidders for the billion-dollar contract in the summer and selected a winner. However, since some candidates have objections to the results of the tender, another committee will be formed. It will assess whether the offers met the requirements. The winner has not been announced yet.

The tender for the reconstruction of the State Opera was announced in February, and the winner was selected in July. The name of the winner has not been disclosed. The buildings have been closed for over five months, whereas the original plans were to start construction in the autumn. Even now, due to the objections from competing companies, it is not known who will ultimately receive the contract. According to previous information, the renovation of the State Opera buildings is expected to take 27 months and to finish in 2018. The program for this and next season is being held at alternative venues.

"The National Theatre has decided to conduct a new assessment of the offers from the tender for the contractor of the State Opera reconstruction, as it has received objections from competing companies regarding the fulfillment of the qualification criteria of individual candidates," said Tomáš Staněk, spokesman for the National Theatre, to ČTK earlier. The theatre asked Minister of Culture Daniel Herman (KDU-ČSL) to submit a proposal to the government for the establishment of a new evaluation committee.

The financing of the reconstruction is ensured by the Care for National Cultural Heritage program, from which the repairs or new constructions of the headquarters of several significant cultural institutions are funded. It also covers the completion of the Hostivař depository for the National Library, the revitalization of Klementinum, and the reconstruction of the main building of the National Museum.