LETS WAKE THIS PLACE UP!

• The Pirates’ program for Prague 2 · municipal elections 2026

  A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN LIVE - Prosperous and sustainable living in Prague 2

  Apartments should serve as places to live. Not for doing business without permission.

  Prague 2 is one of the most beautiful places in the Czech Republic. But increasingly, it seems that Prague 2 is mainly pleasant for tourists, investors, and Airbnb, with rent that local residents can’t afford, apartments where people sleep rather than live and courtyards being squeezed by new development.

  We want to turn this around. There is practically no space left for new development in Prague 2, making it all the more important for the local government to manage what it already has with care: to renovate and rent out vacant municipal apartments, to buy houses with a clear goal in mind and to not sell any more municipal apartments. This year Prague bought the National House on Vinohrady, thanks in part to the Pirates. This is exactly the way that strategic assets return to the hands of the public.

  Local residents should have a chance to stay in Prague 2 and to start their own family.

  • Apartments should serve as places to live, not as illegal hotels. We will advocate for the state to continue to give municipalities the power to regulate short-term rentals and also for Prague to truly make use of this option.
  • In the meantime we will enforce the rules that already exist. Prague 2 has both the building and trade licensing authority. We will systematically identify and address apartments which are demonstrably being used for accommodation services in violation of their permitted use.
  • We will use data not excuses. New European rules require data on short-term rentals to be shared between platforms and public authorities.Once this data is available through the Czech system we want the authorities to actually use them - not to leave them sitting in a drawer.
  • We will not allow short-term rentals in municipal apartments. Those who acquire an apartment from Prague 2 should live in it themselves.
  • At the city-wide level we will advocate for higher taxation on commercially used accommodation properties and long-unused apartment buildings as permitted by the law.
  • We will prepare a housing policy through 2040 by the end of the first year in office. An actionable plan for housing: what to do with municipal apartments and houses. Housing investment and programs should not come about randomly.
  • We will continue purchasing properties for housing, but only with a clear plan for what will happen to the property, and at a price supported by a high-quality valuation. We will give priority to purchasing properties from public institutions (the state, the Czech Post, ministries), where the price and conditions are more predictable.
  • We will protect courtyards from being filled in. Courtyards are the green heart of Prague 2, not building plots.
  • Architectural competitions for all major construction projects of Prague 2 are the norm for us.
  • We will consult all major projects in public spaces and parks with affected residents. Not as is currently the case, when the Town Hall only goes through the motions of public participation.
  • We will retain auctions for municipal apartment leases and will continue to support residents of Prague 2 through them.
  • We will firmly defend the public interest in any potential development of the area around the main railway station: publicly accessible spaces, a proper connection between the station and Vinohrady, and timely consultation with the people affected by the construction. We must make sure the main railway station does not become a headache for us.
  • We will renovate and rent out vacant municipal apartments. A vacant municipal apartment means a double loss: nobody lives there, and the municipality receives no rent.
  • We will end the practice of selling municipal apartments.
  • We will convert suitable non-residential spaces into apartments, thereby expanding the housing supply.
  • We will establish free counseling services for tenants, including tenants living in privately owned buildings.
  A PLACE WHERE YOU SEE WHERE THE MONEY GOES - A transparent and forthcoming Town Hall that says no to wasteful management

  The money of Prague 2 should go into houses where people live, not into construction projects designed for ribbon cutting ceremonies.

  We will advocate for a balanced, prudent and in the long run sustainable financial management. We will not randomly disperse money in unnecessary investments, such as the massive new bowling alley costing almost 100 million CZK or the extensive concreting of parks for tens of millions. We wanted to save the original bowling alley, not to demolish it and replace it with a new, expensive concrete building. We want to focus on improving the quality of existing municipal buildings and meaningfully expand Prague 2’s housing stock. No more selling of entrusted assets of Prague 2 as has been happening up until now.

  Renting commercial non-residential properties to friends and members of the Assembly without a tender is a no-go for us.

  • We will prepare a transparent investment strategy for Prague 2 through 2040, which does not currently exist. It will make clear where our money is going. No more ad hoc and unnecessary investments.
  • We will renovate neglected municipal apartment buildings. Instead of unnecessary construction projects designed for ribbon-cutting ceremonies before elections, we would rather replace more windows in apartment buildings and modernise their common areas.
  • We will create an online budget viewer ne jen na ozdobu, ale s rozklikatelným plněním na úroveň faktur.
  • We will make the online budget viewer more than just window dressing, with the ability to drill down all the way to individual invoices.
  • We will advocate for balanced management without hidden deficits, meaning no balancing of budgets through the sale of apartments and buildings or through additional unallocated funds from previous years.
  • We will review if Prague 2’s chosen approach to investing its available financial resources is financially advantageous (the amount involved is almost CZK 3 billion). Prague 2’s money should generate the maximum possible benefit for its residents, not for undisclosed advisers and financial managers.
  • We will rent out commercial non-residential spaces at appropriate market rates and put them out to public tender with proper promotion.
  • We will publish a rent price map for non-residential premises in Prague 2. It is a simple tool for public oversight.
  • A tender with only one bidder is a warning sign for us. We will cancel such tenders for larger contracts, re-tender them, and always publicly explain why. We will not schedule tender deadlines for the day before Christmas, on the eve of the summer holidays, or at similarly inconvenient times.
  • We will appoint the governing bodies of Správa nemovitostí Praha 2, a.s. (SNP2 - the body overseeing the property of Prague 2) strictly through open selection procedures, following the example set by the Pirates at the city-wide level in Prague’s municipal companies.
  • We will return SNP2 primarily to its role as a professional property manager. Larger investments will be commissioned directly by Prague 2 through open tenders, with direct political responsibility.
  • Petitions and public suggestions will not end up in a drawer. The opinions of the people who live here matter to us.
  • Elected representatives will not receive a new municipal apartment at a subsidised rent during their term of office. Elected representatives should set the rules and oversee compliance with them, not use those rules for their own benefit.
  A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN LIVE SAFELY AND COMFORTABLY - Safe and well-maintained public spaces for all generations

  We belong in the West, so Prague 2 and its public spaces should reflect that. It is time to move closer to the standards of cities such as Vienna, Copenhagen, Munich and Amsterdam. We will develop our urban environment so that pedestrians, cyclists and motorists can coexist safely, while also making our city more resilient to climate change. Wherever at all possible, we want to protect and expand existing greenery and preserve the local genius loci. Since 2018, Prague has made progress, thanks in part to the Pirates, in renovating and expanding sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, and we want to continue with this work. We will work towards genuinely calming car traffic. Motorists do not rule the world, but at the same time we want to maintain good transport access for local residents. Nobody should have to worry about whether they will make it across a crosswalk in time.

  The streets belong to the people who live here. Not to transit traffic.

  • We will push for 30 km/h zones on all residential streets except major thoroughfares, consistently backed up by physical changes such as raised intersections, more space for pedestrians and similar measures.
  • Traffic-calmed zones in front of every school and raised crosswalks at the level of sidewalks. Cars will slow down and pedestrians will cross safely.
  • We will continue to support traffic mitigation on the magistrála and thus reduce transit traffic across Prague 2.
  • We will establish a continuous and safe network of cycle routes, including the sensible introduction of contraflow cycling on one-way streets.
  • We will protect parking for residents and designate drop-off spaces for scooters, bicycles and e-scooters.
  • We secured the tram route from Vinohrady to Wenceslas Square, with completion expected in 2027. We want to continue strengthening tram transport, including, for example, extending the tram line all the way to the Main Railway Station.
  • We want parking for local residents in the Trojická garage facility.
  • We will explore the possibility of connecting Nusle and Vyšehrad by escalator.
  • We will continue expanding sidewalks and crosswalks.
  • We will systematically remove barriers on sidewalks, at crosswalks and in public buildings. Accessibility is not a luxury; it is a basic requirement for a city that works for everyone.
  • We will accelerate the pavement renovation programme: mosaics instead of asphalt.
  • Recycling bins should be standard in all parks and at all playgrounds.
  • We will ensure enough clean, safe and accessible public toilets in parks and around playgrounds, both by building new facilities and by modernising and better maintaining existing ones.
  • We will stop the removal of healthy mature trees. Removing trees should be the absolute exception; trees are meant to be planted.
  • In public spaces, we will promote more natural greenery, not more concrete.
  • Droughts and torrential rainfall will become increasingly frequent. We want to retain water in the streets rather than immediately sending it into the sewer system. We will push for rain gardens and infiltration swales as part of the reconstruction of every street or square wherever appropriate.
  • The Botič deserves more than being just a ditch. It flows through Folimanka and the Nusle Valley, but disappears underground near Ostrčilovo náměstí and reaches the Vltava in a drainage channel. We will explore where more space and greenery can be restored along its banks.
  • Beautiful paving, zero absorption. Paving laid on concrete does not absorb water any better than asphalt. When renovating sidewalks, we will insist on permeable foundations rather than concrete underneath the pretty surfaces.
  • In cooperation with IPR Prague, we will standardise and improve the city’s street furniture (benches, bins and other small-scale amenities). At the same time, we do not want to overwhelm the city with visual clutter. Prague 2 is not a free-for-all.
  • We will thoroughly enforce the existing rules on advertising and advertising structures. Unnecessary illuminated advertising panels will be out, and sidewalks will return back to pedestrians.
  • We will preserve Prague’s night-time darkness and reduce light pollution.
  • Animals are residents of Prague 2 too. We love cats, and we want their care to be organised systematically. We will introduce a grant programme supporting humane management of urban cat colonies through the trap-neuter-return method, a method also recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture. Regularly monitored and neutered colonies are more humane and make it possible to keep animal populations under control in the long term. We stand with the Apolinář cats.
  • In areas experiencing safety problems (such as the PM Club case), we will push for a stronger presence of both municipal and national police, including exploring the possibility of establishing local police stations near such locations. Above all, however, we will address the causes, not just the consequences.
  A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN THRIVE AND SENIORS AREN’T ALONE - Prague 2 as a leader in education, care and culture

  We will work towards a municipality that is welcoming to everyone. For children, we want an inspiring environment regardless of which school catchment area they fall into within Prague 2. For seniors who need support, we want a diverse range of care options, allowing them to be able to choose between remaining at home and living in high-quality facilities with care or specialised services. For everyone, we want to strengthen the sense of belonging to the community—for example, by opening Novoměstská radnice more fully to local residents, strengthening its community role and supporting community gardens.

  At a time when the independence of the media, cultural institutions and public institutions in general is being weakened at the national level, it matters all the more what we do here at home. Prague 2 will support free and critical culture and open debate.

  • We will monitor demographic trends to ensure sufficient capacity in nurseries, childcare groups and school after-school programmes, and expand them wherever demand is expected to grow.
  • All primary schools in Prague 2 must receive comparable support and provide comparable quality. There must be no such thing as a “problem school” in Prague 2.
  • We will strengthen the strategic work of the education department and introduce long-term planning for school development.
  • The councillor responsible for education must work full-time, not treat the position as a side job.
  • We will relieve school principals of the administrative burdens unrelated to teaching, such as managing school renovations. Schools should develop students’ potential, not manage buildings.
  • A school psychologist as a standard, support for children whose first language is not Czech, and free tutoring to prepare for entrance exams.
  • We will continue to support the Centre for Social Services and increase that support further.
  • We will support individual home-based and hospice care for those who want it. Care does not always need to be concentrated in large facilities.
  • We will establish a single point of contact for social assistance: providing advice on benefits, identity cards and services, helping with applications, and guiding people through the authorities so they do not have to navigate between different institutions on their own.
  • Mobile public officials and mobile social workers. Help will come to people who have difficulty leaving their homes.
  • We will expand the existing transport service provided by the Centre for Social Services into an accessible Senior Taxi and accompaniment service for trips to doctors, public offices and other essential destinations for seniors and people with reduced mobility.
  • Handyman service: help when you cannot manage on your own. Walking the dog during icy weather, getting bread when the whole family is sick, putting up a shelf or changing a light bulb. Things most people can manage easily can sometimes be a real problem for someone else. We will establish a single phone number, simple booking and a service with minimal bureaucracy. It will help seniors, people recovering from injuries or with limited mobility, as well as families facing an urgent situation.
  • Digital literacy courses. Digitalisation should help people; people should not become slaves to apps.
  • We will expand low-threshold leisure activities as a way of preventing undesirable social phenomena.
  • An intergenerational community centre and community gardens.
  • We will open Novoměstská radnice even further to local residents and strengthen its role as a vibrant and inspiring cultural and community centre. Its program will be entrusted to a curator selected through an open public tender.
  • We will support an open, free and critical culture that emphasises diversity, rather than commercial and shallow projects. Fewer Prima Love Days, more genuine love. In other words, less commercial marketing and more authentic local culture.
  • We want Prague 2 to become an epicentre of resistance to the far-right politics in the government, a metaphorical island of positive change. When we have a far-right-tinged government denying, among other things, climate change or seeking to restrict public-service media, we want Prague 2 to stand up for science and for freedom of speech.
  POST-ELECTION STRATEGY OF THE PRAGUE 2 PIRATES - 2026 elections to the Prague 2 Municipal District Assembly

  PREAMBLE

  As Prague 2 Pirates, we are completing our second term in the Prague 2 Municipal District Assembly. For eight years, we have carried out honest opposition work – scrutinising the governing coalition and putting forward our own solutions. Yet Prague 2 has been governed by the same coalition throughout this entire period, while key problems, above all housing, remain unresolved. We are therefore entering the 2026 elections with the ambition and energy not only to control Prague 2, but also to lead it.

  Through this strategy we declare that every Pirate member of the Assembly will be guided above all by:

  • The Pirates’ Code for members of the Assembly: wiki.pirati.cz/program/kodex_zastupitele
  • The Pirates’ Democratic Minimum: wiki.pirati.cz/program/minimum

  1. MAIN OBJECTIVES OF PRAGUE 2 PIRATES AND CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE MUNICIPAL DISTRICT COUNCIL

  We want to participate in the governance of Prague 2 with competent people and democratic political parties.

  If we receive sufficient public support, we will negotiate the formation of the Municipal District Council with the aim of securing as many of our priorities as possible in the coalition program.

  We are prepared to take on the role of a critical but constructive opposition. We will pursue our program priorities in accordance with the approved program. In opposition, we will seek the position of Chair of the Audit Committee.

  We will negotiate with all relevant political parties. We make our support for a particular council conditional on no incompetent individuals or people with a history of corruption being nominated to it.

  We will not support a council involving entities that threaten the foundations of liberal democracy or have a historical legacy of destroying democracy in this country, in particular, KSČM, SPD and Motorists.

  We will not cooperate with subjects whose representatives repeatedly engage in hateful, racist or xenophobic rhetoric.

  Program conditions for joining the Municipal District Council. We will join a coalition only if our housing priorities are incorporated into its program statement: halting the selling of the municipal housing stock, establishing transparent rules for the allocation of municipal housing, and taking active steps by the municipal district against illegal short-term accommodation. Housing is our number-one priority.

  We will not support anyone who, during their term of office, has used their position for personal financial gain at the expense of the municipal district – for example, by obtaining a municipal flat at a subsidized rent or acquiring a non-residential municipal property from the municipal district without a competitive tender. No Pirate member of the Assembly will accept a municipal flat owned by Prague 2 that is allocated to them during their term of office on preferential terms, nor any other financial or property benefit from the municipal district. This rule applies both in coalition and in opposition.

  The selection of members of the Assembly and any agreement on post-election cooperation (e.g. a coalition agreement or an agreement to tolerate a minority council) are subject to the approval of the Pirates’ Local Forum in Prague 2, which has the final say.

  1. NEGOTIATING TEAM AND PROCEDURE BEFORE AND AFTER THE ELECTIONS

  By approving this strategy, we establish a negotiating team consisting of:

  LEAD CANDIDATE

  Magdalena Valdmanová

  2nd PLACE ON THE LIST OF CANDIDATES

  Ing. arch. Radek Zykan

  3rd PLACE ON THE LIST OF CANDIDATES

  Ellen Anna Kovačíková

  The negotiating team may, at its discretion, invite additional negotiators to participate. During the team’s work they follow the Pirates’ traditional principles of teamwork.

  • The negotiating team will announce its composition and this strategy to all relevant electoral entities, ensuring complete transparency in the negotiations and making clear to other political entities whom they should contact.
  • Before the elections, the negotiating team will analyse the program priorities of the parties standing for election and identify potential areas of preliminary agreement. The team may meet with other political entities to establish their program priorities and coalition preferences.
  • The lead candidate will communicate with other political subjects and the media as appropriate and will be responsible for media communications arising from the negotiations.
  • Immediately after the elections, the newly elected Caucus of the members of the Assembly (hereinafter the “Caucus”) will meet and elect a Chair or Chairwoman from among its members.
  • The negotiation strategy will be determined by the negotiating team in agreement with the Caucus and the Executive Committee of the Local Association (PMS).
  • The negotiating team will act as a unified body and make decisions collectively.
  • After discussing the outcome of the negotiations with the Caucus and PMS, the negotiating team will submit a proposal for a decision on the specific form of post-election cooperation, including known nominees for positions, to the Local Forum for approval by referendum.
  • If a coalition agreement is approved, the coalition program approved by the Local Forum shall prevail over our election program in the event of any conflict.

  1. RELATIONSHIP OF THE GROUP OF COUNCILLORS TO THE TOWN HALL

  Regardless of the distribution of seats we are prepared to cooperate with all entities represented in the Assembly in pursuing our program priorities.

  We nominate the lead candidate, Magdalena Valdmanová, for the position of Mayor of Prague 2. In negotiations, we will act responsibly towards both our voters and the Pirate Party. As part of our negotiating strategy we will determine which parties to approach first, taking into account their programs, elected members of the Assembly, credibility, conduct during the campaign, and our previous experience with them.

  Elected members of the Assembly undertake to remain members of the Pirate Caucus of members of the Assembly for the entire electoral term. A member of the Assembly who leaves the Caucus shall forfeit their entitlement to positions negotiated on behalf of the Pirates (on committees, commissions, supervisory boards and management boards) and will be asked to relinquish them.

  This document forms part of the election program, and by standing as candidates, candidates undertake to comply with it. It may only be amended with the approval of the Local Forum, by means of a so-called fundamental decision under the Electoral Rules and the Rules of Procedure of the Central Forum, i.e. by a three-fifths (60%) majority of those voting.