BUDGET OF OSTRAVA FOR 2025 ALLOCATES 14.5 BILLION CROWNS

"The city presents the budget for 2025 at nearly 15 billion crowns again, which I see as an ambitious yet responsible proposal for municipal management. Our common goal was to avoid increasing operational expenditures while maximizing resources for development through investment spending. We want to focus on the regular needs of citizens, as well as significant investments that we have presented to the public throughout this year, and I believe they belong in a metropolis like Ostrava. To this end, we want to utilize external funding sources as effectively as possible, including loans," stated the Mayor of the city, Jan Dohnal.

The budget for 2025 anticipates total revenues of 11.931 billion crowns, which is 45 million more than in 2024. Among the items with the largest year-on-year increase are revenues from shared tax collections, where the city expects an increase of 244 million crowns. Conversely, the largest decrease will be in capital revenues, which will drop by 270 million crowns due to lower anticipated income from the sale of real estate. The budget sources for next year are further increased by transfers of saved and unspent funds from previous years amounting to 2.916 billion crowns. Conversely, 371 million crowns are allocated for loan repayments, while the city's debt from loans is expected to decrease to 1.712 billion crowns next year.

"In preparing the budget for 2025, the city had to cope with the impacts of the consolidation package approved by the government in the autumn of 2023, which also brings a reduction in municipalities' shares of the national yield from shared taxes by 0.76 percentage points for 2025. This change will result in Ostrava losing approximately 400 million crowns, to which we responded by attempting to curb the city's mandatory expenses. Thanks to a 4% reduction in selected current expenditures of the budget, we have managed to keep our current expenditures for 2025 at the same level as in 2024 budget," added Dagmar Macháčková, Deputy Mayor for Finance and Budget.

For investments, the capital budget for 2025 allocates 4.976 billion crowns. Of this amount, 1.214 billion crowns is invested in dedicated funds for the implementation of the city's strategic investments, which the city has been saving for long-term. This includes a fund for the reconstruction of the Municipal Hospital and a fund for the construction of a concert hall.

"The distribution of investments across various areas is balanced, ensuring the renewal of infrastructure, the initiation of new investment projects, and the implementation of reconstructions of municipal property. In 2025, several ongoing reconstructions will be completed, while other projects will commence. These new investment projects include the penguin pavilion at the Zoo and the construction of a new concert hall (Phase II). Throughout the year, the modernization of the municipal hospital will continue," stated the Deputy Mayor for Investments, Břetislav Riger.

The largest portion of the investments, amounting to 781 million crowns, is directed towards culture, particularly for the reconstruction of the heritage-protected House of Culture with the new construction of the concert hall and the Multifunctional House in Muglinov. The health and social services sector will receive 701 million crowns, specified for the continuation of the reconstruction of the Home for elderly people Korýtko, the reconstruction of the Children's Center Domeček and the Mental Health Center.

In the field of sports, it is necessary to mention the Multifunctional Sports hall, the reconstruction of the swimming pool Čapkárna, and the reconstruction of the covered sports facility in Ostrava-Dubina. A significant area is also the reconstruction and renewal of the housing stock, where projects such as construction of the multipurpose building, sheltered housing, and many others will be realized.

Other significant projects include the completion of the revitalization of the Ostravice riverbank and the WWTP thickening of surplus sludge and Cycle Route. Additionally, 566 million crowns are aimed at the renewal and development of water management infrastructure as the city systematically continues its restoration.