The construction of the Masaryk University campus will cost an additional 1.2 billion

Brno - The construction of the campus of Masaryk University in Brno, which was supposed to cost five billion CZK, will exceed the budget by 1.2 billion. Kateřina Böhmová from the Ministry of Education's press department told ČTK today. The reasons are currency losses, rising construction costs, and the inclusion of the purchase of new campus equipment into the project. The educational complex was initially planned to be completed next year. According to the latest information, its construction may be extended by about a year.
According to the university leadership, construction work is currently at a standstill because the school has not yet obtained written consent from the Ministry of Education to sign the approved contracts with suppliers. The university has been waiting for information from the ministry since June. Böhmová pointed out that from the tenders that concluded in July, it has been determined that the campus construction program needs to be completely revised.
The Ministry has already requested the government to approve an extension of the campus financing period until 2012. This would allow the project costs to be spread over more years. It is financed by a loan from the European Investment Bank. Since the time the Czech Republic obtained the money for the project, the price of the euro has decreased. This has resulted in so-called currency losses, estimated at around 400 million CZK.
The original campus construction project is about seven years old. Taking into account the developments in construction prices, according to Böhmová, it is necessary to account for increased costs. The price will also be higher because the purchase of certain equipment has newly been included in the project.
The construction of the university campus is one of the largest current construction projects in Brno. In September, another part of this complex in Brno's Bohunice was opened, which will primarily serve medicine, natural sciences, and sports studies. The so-called blue phase of construction included 12 new buildings, including a biomodels pavilion and a central library. It cost 1.5 billion CZK. Two more phases remain to complete the campus.
They are expected to cost 1.75 billion CZK. Within these phases, 19 buildings will be constructed. The construction is scheduled to be completed next year. Currently, machines are idle because contracts for the next phase of construction have not been signed.
Shadow Finance Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (CSSD) explains this by the fact that the position of the Minister of Education has not yet been filled after Dana Kuchtová (SZ) left. According to him, Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek (ODS) should not delay in appointing a new minister. Delays may further increase the costs of the campus construction.
The university campus began construction in 2004. The university campus is intended for 5,000 students and 500 university staff.