The largest Czech residential builder, Central Group, has decided not to sell its apartments to citizens of Russia and Belarus, who will not reject their states’ aggressive and barbaric approach to Ukraine. At the same time, Central Group will support free health care for women and children from Ukraine through the Children’s Health Foundation. It also offers free use of its administrative complex in Prague to help refugees.
In general, politics does not belong in business. However, if the barbaric policies of the leadership of Russia and Belarus have caused war and suffering for millions of people, then business must respond within its means. Therefore, Central Group decided to take an unprecedented step, which is until the revocation of the suspension of supply and sale of apartments in all its projects to citizens of Russia and Belarus. Only those who distance themselves from their governments’ policies towards Ukraine can have an exception.
Rejecting aggression is more important than gaining:
“This decision will of course have significant financial implications for us, because the Russians make up a significant percentage of buyers in the projects of us and all other developers in Prague. But more important than profit is to express a clear rejection of an aggressive war policy in this time of crisis, which threatens the very essence of our Western civilization,” says Dušan Kunovský, founder and head of Central Group.
Central Group has been operating on the market for 28 years and during that time the company has built new housing in Prague for more than 40,000 people. The company invests all earned funds in further development and does not draw any loans. Every year, it pays the Czech state hundreds of millions in taxes, and many tens of millions each year also contribute to public benefit purposes and the implementation of public buildings.
CZK 20 million Institute for Mother and Child Care:
Central Group has been helping the Institute for Mother and Child Care in Prague 4 – Podolí for 15 years. The company founded and is the main sponsor of the Endowment Fund for Children’s Health and through it has already contributed almost CZK 20 million to various medical programs of this specialized medical facility.
“I am very pleased that we have agreed with the management of the Institute for Mother and Child Care on a special program for the care of pregnant women and newborns from Ukraine. Our entire contribution this year will be directed to this program and I would like to thank the management of the hospital in Podolí for their maximum helpfulness and commitment,” adds Kunovský.
Assistance center for refugees from Ukraine:
A significant refugee wave is coming to us from Ukraine, which may be growing uncontrollably in the near future. Unfortunately, Central Group does not currently have completed vacant apartments that it could offer for temporary accommodation for refugees. All about 600 flats in seven locations throughout Prague, which it now offers, are still under construction. Completed flats are sold out and new ones are only offered to the offer very slowly due to extremely complex permits.
However, what Central Group is able to offer immediately is a complex of three commercial buildings in Vysočany in Prague 9, right next to the metro station. This is a former complex of Komerční banka, which the company recently bought as an investment for rent with future use for housing construction. These properties are now vacant and almost immediately available for very variable use, such as the establishment of a large refugee assistance center. And they could help in the current crisis.
This administrative complex has an internal area of about 12,000 square meters, which is divided into many different sections from small rooms to large halls. These are non-residential premises, so they are not suitable for accommodation, but they could provide emergency facilities for refugees.
“We have now offered our administrative complex for immediate use to public institutions and established NGOs dealing with the current refugee wave. Intensive negotiations are now underway on its most appropriate use. We are ready to provide the complex completely free of charge, and in addition to contribute millions more to its operation in resolving the current refugee crisis,” confirms the head of Central Group Kunovský.
