The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIT) has extended the receipt of applications for the second call of the COVID program for rent until 29 January. It was originally supposed to end on Thursday. At the same time, it postponed the start of receiving applications to the third call from 22 January to 1 February, in view of the planned increase in the limit of drawing on public support, the so-called temporary framework, by the European Commission. This was stated on Twitter today by the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Karel Havlíček (for YES).
Receipt of applications for the second call of the COVID rental program began on October 21. Through it, the state is contributing 50 percent to commercial rents in the third quarter due to coronavirus pandemics and government measures. As of Tuesday, the Ministry of Industry and Trade registered approximately 41,000 applications worth CZK 3.3 billion. Entrepreneurs completed that date and submitted about 31,200 applications for CZK 2.8 billion, of which the Ministry approved 74 percent of applications in the amount of CZK 2.2 billion. As of January 19, he rejected 109 applications for 7.9 million crowns.
For the third call, the state will again contribute half of the rent, this time for the last quarter of last year. The circle of applicants for open operations will expand, with a drop in sales in the fourth quarter of at least 66 percent. Furthermore, officials will not assess the affinity of persons. However, the tenant and the landlord must not be the same person. The government set aside three billion crowns for the third call, as well as for the second.
The so-called temporary framework of the European Commission applies to the COVID rent program, as well as to other subsidy titles prepared in connection with the pandemic. This is the maximum amount that one applicant can receive from public support. Its amount was set at EUR 800,000, which is restrictive especially for large companies. At the request of EU Member States, it should be doubled. According to Havlíček, the commission should approve the revision by the end of January.
Source: CTK
