Czech state wants to sell property worth CZK 8bn

Prague, Oct 21 (CTK) - The Czech government plans to sell property worth eight billion crowns in the next two years, public Czech Television (CT) said Sunday, adding that this is what the austerity proposal by Deputy Prime Minister Karolina Peake (LIDEM) counts with.

The properties that may be sold include the baroque Stirin Chateau near Prague, the venue of conferences and various official and social events, military spa houses and hotels, and the Interior Ministry's dormitories, CT said.

It said the sale of the Stirin Chateau may be difficult, however. The state will demand 330 million crowns for it, but the latest expert assessment put the value at 650 million crowns, according to its director Vaclav Hruby.

The price does not include the value of the chateau park that is allegedly put at up to one billion crowns.

The Foreign Ministry that owns the chateau will allegedly be glad to get rid of it, CT said.

According to the plans, the Interior Ministry could bring to the state treasury with the sale of redundant property more than four billion crowns and the Defence Ministry three billion crowns, CT said.

It said the foreign affairs, education and justice ministries could sell property for hundreds of million crowns.