SMASHED and torn out windows, peeling plaster and mouldy walls overgrown with shrubs – that is how the birth home of famous Slovak actor Jozef Kroner in Staškov looks. Slovak railway company ŽSR, which owns Kroner’s birthplace, is not taking care of the house and it has even been occupied by homeless people, the Sme daily wrote.
The mayor of Staškov, Ján Dodek, hopes for a quick solution to what he called 'this deplorable situation'.
“We have filed a request to buy it, and we already have building designs,” the mayor told Sme. “We transmitted the project to buy the house to ŽSR in Žilina, and that office has sent it to the headquarters in Bratislava. However, the purchase must also be approved by the Government Office,” the mayor added.
Meanwhile, city managers have ordered a study of renovation costs in order to work out how much cash will be needed.
“We want Kroner’s residence to return to its original condition,” Dodek said.
The mayor added that the city estimates almost €30,000 will have to be invested to achieve this. An expert opinion values the house and its lot at €2,656. After reconstruction, the municipality plans to make the house accessible to the public and is considering making a Jozef Kroner memorial room.
