The management of Prague represents the budget, the opposition cups it
According to the proposal, the city plans to manage revenues next year and spend about 92.6 billion crowns, which the budget offers more. Approximately 19.86 billion crowns are to be spent on investments, of which more than four billion are for the construction of metro D. The city also plans to repay debts next year and put other money in the reserve.
“The difference between what plagues ordinary Praguers and the investment priorities of the current municipal coalition is completely abysmal,” said Zdeněk Zajíček, head of the ODS Prague deputies, who said he was a possible candidate for mayor.
Without the Libeň Bridge
He criticized the municipal coalition of Pirates, Prague Sobě and the United Forces for Prague (TOP 09, STAN and KDU-ČSL) for not sending more funds for key transport projects. Examples include the fact that the budget does not include the repair of the Libeň Bridge.
“Before the municipal elections (2018), Jan Čižinský and his Prague reassured Prague residents that under their leadership they would finally receive repairs. No wonder Scheinherr and his deputy (for transport, Adam) Scheinherr were attached to him, “said the mayor of Prague 9, Tomáš Portlík (ODS).
“The traffic hell that Praguers are experiencing on the streets of the capital every day will continue next year,” says the civic.
Grants, “bribery” and new stops
Compared to the Chamber of Deputies, there is a different atmosphere at the Prague City Council. A lively discussion is taking place especially between the ODS and YES representatives, who took a joint break during the budget debate.
Their common criticism was aimed, for example, at grants to non-profit organizations in the amount of approximately 770 million crowns or an increase in the city police, which the opposition described as bribery before the municipal elections.
The representative for YES, Ivan Pilný, is then annoyed by the new “smart” public transport stops within the city furniture, to which more than half a billion crowns travel.
The plan is to replace up to 300 of the 700 shelters discovered, which the city is newly building after it has so far been operated by JCDecaux. “I think Prague has a different priority,” Pilný commented.
Prokop: Cable car instead of apartments?
Ondřej Prokop (YES) from Prague 11 is also taking part in the debate. He was annoyed that Prague would spend only 579 million crowns on housing.
“Instead of dealing with housing, you give money to the cable car. Do you think that Praguers will live in the cable car? Are you solving the crisis? No, you do the exact opposite, “he criticized, referring to the Podbaba-Bohnice cable car project, the cost of which is estimated at two billion crowns in the media.
“You have 70 billion free cash in the accounts they swallow, which is up to 6 percent today. That money will be wiped out. Why don’t you buy vacant apartments on the market? They are not falling. Why don’t you do it like other regional cities? ”Prokop said angrily.
On the contrary, Deputy Vyhnánek, who presented the budget, defended the proposal by saying that some constructions will be started, led by the construction of metro D.
However, according to him, the state should also be involved in financing. “It would be unfair to the people of Prague if they had to bear the investment on their shoulders,” says Vyhnánek.
It is not yet clear what form the representative budget will approve.
In the morning, the discussion on the individual items of the December council meeting continues. The vote itself is not expected to take place until late at night.