Prague budget dispute erupts over municipal savings

A political dispute has emerged in the Czech Republic regarding the management of Prague's municipal funds. Finance Minister Alena Schillerová has criticized the city for holding over 200 billion CZK in savings, suggesting these funds could help address the national budget deficit, which is projected at 389 billion CZK.

Tomáš Portlík, a candidate for the SPOLU coalition for Prague Mayor, has rejected this criticism, calling the government's stance “audacious.” He argues that the city's funds are not idle surpluses but are strictly earmarked for massive infrastructure projects. These include the construction of Metro D, the Radlická radial, and the inner city ring road, which combined are expected to exceed 250 billion CZK in costs.

Portlík also noted that future projects, such as a potential Metro E line, could cost approximately 220 billion CZK. He warned that using municipal savings to plug national budget holes would result in a lack of essential infrastructure for Prague residents.