NEWS | 6. 4. 20198

Minister of Culture Ilja Šmíd was particularly interested in building a Central European Forum to meet with the management of the Olomouc Museum of Art. In addition, the director of the Museum introduced him to the problems of the lack of money for the purchase of collection art objects.

The proposal of the Central European Forum is raising emotions in Olomouc – both positive and negative. “The building likes me. I have no reservations. I have spoken to the Olomouc Governor and the Mayor of the town, and I feel the objections of part of Olomouc to this building. I do not want to be an arbiter, but if we do not mind the Gothic next to the Renaissance, why should a modern building beside the older building be bothering us? Sometimes we are unnecessarily small and far behind the world that will appreciate something more in the first phase,” said Minister Šmíd. “I believe that the Bilbao effect will emerge here: there will be people who will build the building, even those who do not like it. In any case, I have no doubt that tourism will increase in the city.”