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Current AffairsPrague EU housing ministers meeting addresses future of high rise flats
The percentage of people living in high rise flats in former Eastern Bloc
countries such as the Czech Republic is twice as high as in the 15
"old" European Union states. Indeed a full 40 percent of Czechs
live in prefabricated flats, known as panelaks, many of which are in bad
repair and in need of major investment. The future of high rise flats was
the theme of a Prague meeting of EU housing ministers, hosted by the Czech
Republic's regional development minister, Jiri Paroubek. He spoke to me at
the
close of the conference on Tuesday. More
Current AffairsApartment construction booming in the Czech Republic
The Czech economy - at least in comparison with most of Western Europe - is
booming, with four percent annual growth for 2004 - its fastest rate for
eight years. This has been accompanied by a boom in the building industry.
According figures published by the Czech Statistical Office more than
32,000 apartments were completed last year. This is highest figure in the
country's short history since Czechoslovakia split twelve years ago. I
talked to economist David Marek from the Czech investment bank Patria
Finance and asked him what he believed had caused this boom.
More
Current AffairsStrasbourg lawsuit may speed up rent deregulation
All governments in the Czech Republic since the fall of communism have been
cautious over reforming the country's system of state controlled rents,
afraid of the impact on the less well-off. Landlords on the other hand,
have been increasingly vociferous in their complaints that the low rents
collected from their tenants cannot cover maintenance costs. Now a lawsuit
that Czech landlords are planning to file with The European Court of Human
Rights may speed up the process of rent deregulation.
More
Current AffairsPrague 6 promises cheap apartments in a lottery
In many parts of Western Europe, local authorities have privatized public
sector housing over the past few years. Now the Czech Republic is
following suit, and many local authorities are offering their tenants the
chance to buy their flats. Given the legacy of communism, this is a
complicated process, and not everyone is benefiting from the changes. One
Prague district has chosen an unusual way of dealing with the problem -
with its very own lottery.
More
Current AffairsAre ghettos of the poor to arise in north Bohemia?
The number of poor people and rent dodgers has been growing rapidly in some
areas in north Bohemia. The reason - availability of extremely cheap
housing. Property owners from around the country have found a cheap and
simple way of getting rid of problematic tenants. At the same time, it is
a solution for poor families who can no longer afford to pay high rents in
Prague and other big cities. Local authorities have expressed concern
about the development and are seeking ways to fight it.
More
Current AffairsCzech real estate market finally stabilising
Since the Velvet Revolution the Czech real estate market has experienced
enormous development. Now experts claim that all major changes are over
and prices of new apartments should stay stable. Even Czech accession to
the European Union, they say, should not bring anything new.
More
