Jakub Lichnovský is a recognised specialist in complex industrial construction and development projects, projects in infrastructure, energy and healthcare. He has extensive experience with projects in the public and private sectors, and his practice also focuses on real estate, construction, corporate and commercial law.
This year you were a partner of the City of Ostrava at the MIPIM investment opportunities fair in France. Do investments in the Czech Republic have any legal pitfalls today?
The central theme of this year‘s event was sustainability, from green solutions and Smart Cities projects to sustainable development. It will no longer be possible to allow new buildings without complying with strict sustainability requirements. Especially in relation to energy effi ciency, where all entities concerned — banks, developers, construction companies and material manufacturers — will have to report their carbon footprint in the future. At present, I see increased interest in investments in Poland (see Google‘s purchase of The Warsaw Hub), which could also benefit the Czech Republic in the future. At PRK Partners, we often interact with foreign investors, mainly thanks to our cooperation with Czechlnvest and the Association for Foreign Investment. In our experience, the investment environment in the Czech Republic is favourable and safe for foreign investors.
You provide legal services to companies in the energy sector. How do you see the future development in this sector, and what services can you off er to clients here?
Given the current shock of high energy prices and the current geopolitical situation, we expect that in the future, the main issues will be diversifi cation of sources, reduction of emissions, and increasing the share of RES and nuclear power in the energy mix. In the Czech Republic, this will thus mainly involve the completion of new nuclear units, solar power plants or cogeneration units and the implementation of modern technologies. In addition to the technical background, it will be necessary to adequately set up the relevant legal framework, especially in relation to RES support and energy storage. In the energy sector, we provide our clients with a wide range of services throughout the entire project, whether in the permitting process, setting up contractual relationships, financing, development or project management. In addition to the expertise of the services provided, projects also require comprehensiveness and experience. This is what we provide our clients with.
You have been providing legal advice on property development issues for many years. Does the current construction law restrict the development of industrial zones in any way?
The first limitation is, in my opinion, rather of financial nature. If municipalities were able to set the local real estate tax coefficients in more efficient way, or if they had a larger overall share of the funds collected to the state budget from investors, they would also have a greater incentive to support the development of industrial zones in their territory. There is also a new Building Act — a very signifi cant change. In this context, it will be particularly important to channel resources appropriately into the training of civil servants, effective capacity sharing and efficient interconnection between departments. This will take time and effort, but it is necessary. Last but not least, it is necessary to ensure proper project management on the part of the investors, including the provision of specialised legal services, in order to complete the project on time and avoid any complications or delays (e.g. upon negotiations with authorities or connection to utilities and roads).
Thank you for the interview.
