Prague, May 9 (CTK) – Culture Ministry state secretary Zdenek Novak will be the commissioner in charge of the financing of the celebrations of Czechoslovakia’s 100th anniversary this year, Prime Minister Andrej Babis told journalists on Wednesday.
Babis (ANO) said the previous government had approved the budget of 430 million without entrusting anyone with supervision of the events.
He said some of them were overpriced, such as some of those to be held abroad, while the celebrations should primarily belong to the citizens of the Czech Republic.
Babis said organisers of some planned events “improved their budgets by millions.”
Novak is to coordinate the financing of the events or single out those which need not be financed by the state.
Many events will be held both in and outside Prague.
There will be various exhibitions, commemorative acts, festivals and a military parade.
This year, the 100 years of the establishment of Czechoslovakia will be the most important anniversary.
The budget for the celebrations of 1918, the Prague Spring in 1968 and the establishment of the Czech Republic in 1993 was approved by the previous government of the Social Democrats, ANO and Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) last May.
