Prague, Nov 19 (CTK) – Prague Castle, the presidential seat, will most probably not install door frame metal detectors at the entrance to St Vitus Cathedral, Presidential Office head Vratislav Mynar has told CTK.
The decision will depend of the overall security situation and on the technical improvement of the existing checks of all visitors to the castle complex, he added.
The Catholic Church has welcomed the decision since if door frame metal detectors were installed, visitors to the cathedral would have to pay for the entry.
At present, the front part of the cathedral is free and a ticket is needed for the oldest part and the crypt.
The Prague Castle Administration was considering installing door frame metal detectors for security reasons. The step was criticised by heritage protectors as well as the public.
However, police security checks were introduced at all entrances to Prague Castle in the summer and the check points were gradually equipped with modern technology, including door frame metal detectors and a camera-monitoring system.
The Prague Castle received a 100-million-crown subsidy for these security measures from the Defence Ministry.
Mynar told CTK at the beginning of November that the checks of “the outer perimeter” of Prague Castle might be sufficient.
A meeting of security experts of Prague Castle also debated the issue.
Most experts are of the views that if security points with frame detectors are on a broader perimeter, door frame metal detectors would not have to be installed at St Vitus Cathedral, Mynar said.
The final decision has not been made yet, but Mynar said the idea of door frame metal detectors at the entrance to St Vitus Cathedral would be most probably given up.
He said it would also depend on the development of the security situation in the Czech Republic and in Europe. If it deteriorated, the metal detectors might be built at the cathedral after all.
The introduction of security checks at all entrances to the Prague Castle complex in August, which caused long queues, stirred up a wave of criticism by both politicians, travel agencies and the public.
The Prague Castle has justified the measures by security threats and the necessity to protect its visitors.
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