During the gathering held on the occasion of 65th anniversary of the tragedy of Ležáky the deputy chairman of the Senate of the Czech Republic called on establishing a national grant organization Ležáky Memorial which would be on the same level as the Lidice Memorial established on 2000.

Further proceeding:

1. In order to solve the system of financing the management of the National historic landmark- the reverent area Ležáky (thereinafter only Ležáky) on September 26, 2007 there was an opening session held at the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic. There were representatives from the responsible institutions, i.e. from Pardubice district, municipal office in Miřetice, National heritage institute and the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic. The director of the Lidice Memorial was also invited to join the meeting.

   Several possible options considering suitable system of financing Ležáky were consulted;

   For example leaving management of Ležáky to the district of Pardubice or delegating the National heritage institute and management of Ležáky by one of the museums in the neighbourhood of Ležáky, establishing of a grant organization NHL Ležáky or associating Ležáky to the Lidice Memorial.

   The representatives of the Ministry of Culture (OMG, OPP) started from the current options of the Ministry of Culture of the CR: problem with financing of maintenance of the reverent area of the National historic landmark Ležáky does not belong to competency of OMG: it is neither preservation of personal culture heritage nor museum problematic. The financial resources to maintenance of the reverent area of the National historic landmark are connected to the agenda managed at the Ministry of Culture by the section of monument preservation. However OPP does not manage any donations that could be used to solve the problem systematically, neither they occupy themselves with the solution of concepts of reverent areas. Due to these reasons as due to the common theme with Lidice, on the gathering on September 26, 2007 it was recommended that financing of operating the NHL shall be solved via Lidice Memorial. However even that solution is not without problems.

   From this meeting a project came up for the management of the Lidice Memorial. The Ministry of Culture of the CR asked them to elaborate a pilot project solving one of the possible options, i.e. integration of NHL Ležáky to management of the Lidice Memorial and to pass it to the Ministry of Culture for discussion, specifically to the director of OMG and before October 16, 2007.

2. On October 2, 2007 there was a meeting held at the municipal office in Mířetice attended by most of the village representatives and by the head of museum in Ležáky and also by the representatives from the management of the Lidice Memorial. The meeting was also attended by a representative of Pardubice district and an independent expert in maintenance of verdure. The aim of the meeting was to gain complete information about current situation of Ležáky Memorial with the view of operation, current status of the property ownership, budget for managing and operating of NHL, about stadium of preparations for the next reverent commemoration in Ležáky etc. Part of this meeting was also visitation of the reverent area, individual buildings in order to find out the technical stage of the buildings and monuments and also the shape of verdure.

   From observation that was completed with some other relative findings from experts of law, taxes and verdure maintenance, there was a pilot project made on October 12, 2007 which was the supporting material for discussions with the Ministry of Culture of the CR and the municipal board of village Miřetice.

3. In December 2007 the Ministry of Culture discussed the supporting material, which we quote:

   In the view of sponsorship of OMG the Ministry of Culture of the CR acknowledges the suggested solution as systematic and suitable. No doubts that it is not the only one possible. The problem of rehabilitation of memorials (not of NHL and reverent areas!) which belongs to its agenda was conceptually solved during past years- see Program “Rehabilitation of memorials of struggles for freedom, independence and democracy”- the government decision from March 15, 2000 no. 264. Its part was also providing of needed financial resources for the years 2000-2009 and its usage was checked by the department for investments of the Ministry of Culture.

   With respect to the objections that were mentioned and to the fact that in the following year it is not possible to allow for the number of memorials to increase or to the current sponsorship of the Ministry of Culture to be extended, there is again a question of system approach of the Ministry of Culture towards the shape and creation of reverent areas with the status of monument preservation respectively to the conceptual solution and future direction. It suggests itself to be elaborated e.g. in newly prepared law about monument preservation eventually in a preparation of new grant program of systematic care of the state of reverent areas as OIAK mentions.

4. On May 27, 2008 the Minister of Culture releases a decision no.2/2008 which changes and amends the installation document of the Lidice Memorial (article no. 9261/2000). Beside other things, the results of the decision are:

   Since June 1, 2008 the mission of the Lidice Memorial is also management of preservation of the memory of the exterminated village Ležáky and of suffering of its inhabitants, who became victims of Nazi violence on June 24, 1942 for their support of resistance. The memorial shall manage the colony Ležáky to keep its name as a symbol of Czech resistance against Nazism and of war crimes victims.

   On the same day the Minister of Culture signed the complete reading of the installation document of the Lidice Memorial with effect from June 1, 2008.