Property developer Orco Property Group will build new headquarters for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Prague 10, RFE/RL spokeswoman Anna Rausova said. RFE/RL will leave the former parliament building near Prague’s Wenceslas Square. The two sides signed a contract ensuring a 15-year lease with an option to extend every 10 years.
RFE/RL managers estimate the process of construction and moving out of the city centre could take about 2.5 years. “Our target date is end-2007,” Rausova said. At that time, the radio station’s lease contract at the former parliament building expires.
The Czech government started to consider moving the radio station’s headquarters out of the centre after the 9/11 terror attacks on the USA. Since that time, the building has been under police protection. For some time after the attacks, it was guarded by several armoured vehicles.
(Source: CTK - Czech News Agency)
