SNM Withdraws from Contract with Firm Renovating Krasna Horka Castle

Krasnohorske Podhradie, 17 September (TASR) – The Slovak National Museum (SNM) has withdrawn from the contract with the contractor for the reconstruction of Krasna Horka Castle in Kosice region, with MBM-GROUP, the company carrying out the renovation, claiming that this withdrawal is invalid, the company's board chairwoman Alena Novakova told TASR on Wednesday, adding that the firm will defend itself in court. The SNM's withdrawal from the contract was reported to the contractor on Friday (12 September), allegedly due to MBM-GROUP's failure to provide information about the subcontractors working on the contract. The company renovating Krasna Horka considers the withdrawal to be invalid and strongly disagrees with it. "The claim is false, as MBM-GROUP provided information about the subcontractors in writing during the construction process in 2023. The client has therefore been aware of the activities of these subcontractors for more than two years," said Novakova, adding that the company can prove this fact with written evidence and is already taking legal action regarding the invalid nature of the withdrawal from the contract. The company considers SNM's actions to be calculated in an effort to cover up the museum's inaction regarding the reconstruction of Krasna Horka Castle. This inactivity is said to consist primarily in the failure to update project documentation, in constant changes to the project team during construction, in the failure to update contractual relationships, and in the failure to pay for work ordered and carried out. The total amount of SNM's outstanding liabilities is said to exceed €3 million. "Despite this, MBM-GROUP continues to provide maximum cooperation in order to ensure that the reconstruction of Krasna Horka Castle can be successfully completed. We regret this situation and believe that it is only a failure on the part of individuals responsible for managing the project," added Novakova. Krasna Horka Castle was severely damaged by fire on 10 March 2012. The government approved nearly €35 million to restore the castle, and MBM-GROUP won the tender. The project, worth over €20 million, began in August 2022, and according to the original contract, the work should have been completed by August of this year, but it is still incomplete. am/df