REGION

stops being a tempting option. That is

why I support key projects such as the

reconstruction of the Concert Hall, which

would include a renovation of the Ostrava

House of Culture and the Black Cube.

Expansion of private projects is another

crucial step. This would include Ostrava

Tower, Organica, the reconstruction of

Textilia-Ostravice, Wacslaw, Small Lauby,

Vojanka, New Amsterdam, the Crossroads

building, the Sitte Palace, the renovated

Jindřich mine, Stodolní residence and

many other projects. The support of

these projects will have a domino effect.

Plans for the construction of blocks of

flats are not limited to the city centre;

they extend to Silesian Ostrava, Ostrava

South and Poruba. Recently, the proposal

for an apartment district in the Žofinka

brownfield was presented, as well. New

housing is the bedrock of development

and Ostrava ought to support prudent

investors because providing high-quality

living spaces at acceptable prices will give

us a competitive edge over other cities.

Another one of our goals is to support

the development of university science

infrastructure, primarily by financing

through the Fair Transformation Fund.

Projects eligible for this would include

the Centre for Research of Industry 4.0

Technologies at VŠB-TUO, the National

Energetics centre, Project Refresh (new

energy sources), CEET, and IT4Innovations.

In addition, we would also like to support

the development of dentistry and creative

fields at Ostrava University. This would

allow the two universities to offer an even

wider spectrum of new fields. Oh, and

one more thing: Ostrava could make do

with a couple new CAS offices.

Locally and globally connecting the city

is another priority of the new vision. This

endeavour aims to strengthen Ostrava’s

position as a regional metropolis

and build connections in the context

of transport, communication and

information. So goes the overarching

slogan for projects currently being

drafted in your field of operation. What

significant projects does this include?

Ostrava is part of what used to be

the Amber Road. The northern

connection, the Místek III. phase and

the first phase of I/56 (which is another

bridge across the Oder, near Petřkovice):

these three key projects are necessary

to complete our road infrastructure.

Currently, the projects’ documentation

is being drafted, and their realisation is

predicted to begin in four to five years…

at the earliest.

The decision to construct high-speed

railways was a momentous one not only for

Ostrava but for Czechia as a whole. Railway

connections from Prague and Brno will

both end at the Svinov station. The segment

between Svinov and the main train station

will receive major renovations. Finally,

northern connections to Warsaw and

Katowice will also terminate at Ostrava’s

main train station. The local government

will therefore have the task of preparing

residents for these changes and arranging

infrastructural

development

around

the Svinov and main station terminals. In

France, for example, new city districts are

often built around these terminals. The goal

is clear: cut down travel time to Brno to one

hour and under two hours for Prague. The

projects are presently in development and

the earliest projections for their realisation

are for 2027.

The Great Mošnov project will be one

of national significance. This is a series of

projects that include the L. Janáček Airport-

steelworks and projects like Škoda Wagon

Works and Škoda Ekova. High-tech

companies, start-ups, the Moravian-Silesian

Innovation Centre, the Hydrogen City

project and other companies that sprout

from new infrastructure and fields of study

at universities are a few more examples.

Ostrava, the Mošnov Combined Transport

Terminal, Ostrava’s Strategic Industrial

Zone, the Mošnov logistics centre, and

the Czech Army logistics centre.

Their support has already allowed

for many of the projects I mentioned

earlier—Great Mošnov, the Concert Hall,

the Black Cube, transportation networks,

support of VŠB-TUO and Ostrava

University. Second is the active participation

of Ostrava’s citizenry in the realisation of

these changes because, without their

work and love for their city, all of these

goals are high unreachable.

As a former centre of heavy industry,

Ostrava is economically transforming in

favour of Industry 4.0. What is the city’s

role in this transformation?

The city needs to support positive

innovation. In terms of traditional industry,

this includes, for example, Liberty’s new

What are your 2030 wishes for Ostrava?

Ostrava needs to become Czechia’s

centre of technology. It needs to become

a city where value is created and

above-average earnings can be expected.

The city centre and its fringes will be

transformed beyond recognition, with

new buildings and a strong cultural

infrastructure that offers countless ways

to spend free time. It will become an even

more significant research and university

hub. The number of Ostrava’s residents

will once again start to rise. There are

two caveats to this, however: first,

development on this scale would not be

possible without the Czech government.

Thank you for the interview, Mr Svozil.

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