The Czech Republic and Belgium have been shortlisted in the tender to host the logistics center for the European satellite system Galileo. The center might go up in the Most-Velebudice area in the Ústecký region in northwestern Bohemia. The regional government, however, has not yet come to an agreement with the Transport Ministry over construction financing. The EU will only finance the operation for 20 years.
Czech Transport Minister Dan Ťok said he will greenlight the project so long as construction financing doesn’t come out of the state’s own coffers. The regional government, on the other hand, is demanding the Czech state foot the bill. Construction is expected to total CZK 170m. The European Commission will make a final decision on the location of the center in October. It should be operational by 2017. Since 2012, Prague has hosted the GNSS agency, which is part of the European Space Agency. GNSS is overseeing the development of the Galileo system.
