Two types of contributions are paid from the Antivirus program. The contribution for closed operations is A. Last week, the government decided that the state would reimburse the entire wages and levies up to fifty thousand crowns. It will provide this support until the end of the year.
“Immediately, that is, depending on the following hours and days when the premises will be closed, all companies can compensate one hundred percent of their personnel costs and costs for their employees, ie one hundred percent of wages plus levies,” Havlíček said at a press conference.
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At the same time, the Ministry of Finance activated a special compensation bonus for all entrepreneurs in the self-employed regime. “It is similar to the so-called twenty-five, however, this bonus will apply to all affected segments, ie to all those who cannot operate their stores and establishments at the moment,” Havlíček added.
The bonus also applies to those segments that are affected indirectly and whose activities depend on closed operations. “It is five hundred crowns a day and can be activated very soon. This corresponds to the proposal, which is now in the Chamber of Deputies, “said the Minister.
The allowance is intended for self-employed persons, ie mainly self-employed persons, and partners of small limited liability companies with a maximum of two partners. The Ministry of Finance has previously pointed out that it is enough for entrepreneurs to send a notification to the financial administration that they meet the conditions of the general pardon regarding taxes, including by e-mail.
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The Ministry of Industry and Trade also opened on Wednesday morning the receipt of applications for a contribution to the commercial lease from the Covid – rent program. Entrepreneurs from the industry, who will have to suspend operations from Thursday, can now also receive a subsidy of fifty percent for rent for July, August and September.
Havlíček: This is immediate financial support
“In fact, they get one and a half months of full rent because they get fifty percent. They can receive this in the coming days, “said Havlíček, adding that this is an immediate financial support. The support will be for retailers and service entrepreneurs. This does not apply to groceries, pharmacies, drugstores, florists and other selected stores.
In the Covid – rent program, people can get up to ten million crowns. Compared to the spring version of the program, the condition of a 30 percent discount from the landlord has been eliminated. However, it is still true that when applying, the applicant for a subsidy must prove payment of at least half of the rent.
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“It is good that they are (compensatory measures) taken immediately with those measures to protect the health of citizens. I think that Deputy Prime Minister Havlíček and his team are trying to react immediately to the situation, “said Jaroslav Hanák, President of the Confederation of Industry and Transport of the Czech Republic, on Czech Television.
It is also a question of extending the Antivirus B program and also of compensating supply chains. According to Hanák, the extension of this program is absolutely essential. “The number of quarantined people will increase dramatically, so there, in addition to Antivirus A, there is a need for the government to respond immediately,” he added.
Hanák will still discuss compensation with Havlíček. However, he said that the current measures will have a major impact on the Czech economy. “Until last month, we had the idea that the economy would collapse by about eight percent. Today, we discussed this with our experts, and if it continues until Christmas, the economy could fall by ten to twelve percent, “said Hanák.
From Thursday 06:00 to November 3, the government ordered restrictions on movement and contact with other people. Exceptions are trips to work, shopping, to the doctor or to family. At the same time, retail will be closed from Thursday to the end of the state of emergency. The exceptions are the stores of the basic assortment. In addition, as in the spring, the sale of services in establishments will be banned.
Assistance must also go to suppliers, a moratorium is needed, the Association emphasized
“I am glad that the government basically copied most of the measures from the spring, because companies have practiced these procedures and will be able to implement them quickly,” said Tomáš Prouza, president of the Trade and Tourism Association of the Czech Republic, in response to the new restrictions. On the other hand, he also said that the growing nervousness is noticeable.
“When I look at food purchase numbers, you can see from the analyzes of loyalty programs that a family that has been buying plus or minus the same amount of food for years is starting to exclude some products from the shopping cart, or is reaching for cheaper variants. It is clear that nervousness is growing. And people are also postponing a number of larger investments, which can significantly slow down the economy, “he said on Czech Television.
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He also stressed that state aid must go not only to the sectors affected, but also to suppliers. “Help has to go to the whole supply chain, for example not only a closed restaurant, but also a food supplier or a laundry,” said Prouza. According to him, the measures taken by the government so far are insufficient in that they do not affect the entire supply chain. “And the spring reserves are already depleted, we are also seeing a growing secondary insolvency,” he warns.
According to him, a credit and insolvency moratorium, ie deferred payments, should be introduced immediately. According to Prouza, the banks themselves will not want to solve the problems of the affected branches.
We want quick compensation, the opposition claims
Opposition politicians said on Wednesday that they would support the introduction of quick compensation. “It is now absolutely necessary for the government to communicate clearly how it will support them and how it will compensate for the loss of income,” the head of Pirates Ivan Bartoš said on Twitter.
