The path to new flats in Bělá pod Bezdězem is lined with police interest and uncertainty
“We have a locality in Vrchbělá, where Soviet troops were originally, the city has this area in the zoning plan to stop mass or individual housing,” describes the locality, which is the main role of the following story, the mayor of Bělá pod Bezdězem Jaroslav Verner (YES 2011).
Two years ago, the city decided to return life and land to the area for individual construction of rows and houses. The aim was to attract new residents to live in the countryside, moreover, not far from the place where the Central Bohemian governor’s office built a leisure area with an inline track, a lookout tower and a hotel.
The city would not have enough of its own resources for massive construction, so the mayor came up with a plan to join with construction companies and create a joint venture.
“We were looking for an ideal economic model, where we created a limited liability company with the city investing land in it and other partners investing money in the same value and starting to build. The profit from the sale of apartments and houses will then be invested in further construction, “explains Mayor Verner of the plan with which he came to the council in the autumn of 2019 and which he also agreed.
The builders have already started preparing the sloping area, which needed to be strengthened, and are waiting for a building permit to start construction. In the meantime, however, the plan was enough to land on the table of judges and Mladá Boleslav criminals.
The city, in opposition to the owner of the property, which stands directly between the plots where the town hall plans to build. According to the mayor, the owner demanded that several plots of land near his property be removed from the deposit in Bělská investiční společnost so that it could not be built on them, and filed a lawsuit.
“The district court in Mladá Boleslav and subsequently the regional court dismissed the lawsuit in January this year,” Verner said. The complaint about the council’s action was also directed to the Ministry of the Interior, but even that did not find any contradiction with the law.
More than an annual investigation
Now the Mladá Boleslav criminal, who has been examining her since last March, has an investment plan on her desk. According to information from MF DNES, police officers have recently questioned a number of deputies, including the mayor.
“In the matter of the transfer of land in Bělá pod Bezdězem, the police are conducting an investigation based on a criminal report; we cannot say more about the case at the moment,” said Barbora Schneeweissová, a spokeswoman for the Central Bohemian police.
Regardless of the motives of the criminal report, the police investigation showed that the chosen procedure may not be completely advantageous for the city.
The value of shares or money brought to the company by two other investors was determined by the value of six hectares of land invested by Bělá pod Bezdězem. Hired expert Zdeněk Dolák determined its price at less than five million crowns, ie around 84 crowns per square meter.
However, the Seznam list server pointed out that the police had their own report prepared, which they rated diametrically expensive – instead of five, it is said to have a value of 27 million. According to the server, the police described Dolák’s expert opinion as erroneous and prepared in a non-standard manner.
Expert: The opinion is correct
The expert refused to support MF DNES. “The opinion was correct, it was not underestimated. I told the police what I was based on his determination, and until it is closed, I can’t say anything about it, “Dolák said.
According to Mayor Verner, the city had no doubts in this regard. “If you order someone who has a round stamp, you have to trust them. My civilian profession is a car designer and I will not tell anyone what to salt or deny more, and a forensic expert on how to appreciate something, “said Verner.
Doubts are also raised by the setting of a partnership agreement concluded between the city and the remaining partners. “I was against setting this agreement, it is not in favor of the city,” opposition representative Milan Lomoz (CSSD) has long been.
Although public property is handled, the city does not have a decision-making majority in society. In addition, the partners increased their share capital by CZK 36 million this summer, and Bělá pod Bezdězem would have to invest at least CZK 12 million to maintain its extended share. Part of the deputies minded, because they believed that the city will no longer cost any money, only invest in land.
The mayor leaves the position of managing director
The position of the third managing director, Mayor Verner, is also interesting. Critics did not like the fact that, for example, he did not have to leave the position of the company’s executive after leaving the position of mayor.
The city council, after criticizing the public, called on her to resign. Verner decided to do so this week at the general meeting of the company, which is to elect a new executive for the city. However, it is still worthwhile that the established cooperation will be advantageous.
“Above all, the goal of building flats for the people who will be able to live in them will be met, and after the end of the investment, any profit will be distributed in the proportion that the partners have,” he said.
However, there is no consensus in the city council on the next steps, although the coalition parties agreed at the recent meeting to continue with the current composition. “We propose to sell our stake in Bělská investiční under the most favorable conditions for the city. An independent legal analysis has confirmed to us that this is the right path and that we will follow it consistently, “said Deputy Mayor Jan Sýkora (Independent Citizens’ Movement).
“There is currently a demand for apartments and they are being built elsewhere without the city being represented in the company,” he added. A new expert opinion should also be carried out for the purposes of the sale.