Czech Railways may not extend a contract, under which Grandi Stazioni would lease the Prague’s main train station for another 30 years. The contract, originally signed in 2003, expires in October 2016 without Grandi Stazioni having completed the reconstruction of the Fanta building, part of the station, as stipulated in the contract. Local press outlets are reporting that Czech transport minister Dan Ťok and the Italian ambassador Aldo Amati met to discuss the matter without reaching agreement. Lawyers hired by Czech Railways argue that the lease cannot be legally renewed under the circumstances.
Grandi Stazioni, on the other hand, could request reimbursement of unrealized investments worth CZK 850m into the reconstruction of the main train station, which has cost the company CZK 1bn. It had anticipated recouping the investment through the collection of rents from the shops Grandi Stazioni built at the main train station.
