Government approves 3-month rent deferral for Czech stores

The Czech government has approved a plan to allow businesses hurt by the coronavirus crisis to defer rental payments for three months. They're to be given up to two years to pay it back under the current plan, which could extend the deferral to six months. The Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček says the deferrals are to be used primarily by companies in the retail and services sectors, including restaurants, bars and cinemas. "We based it on the German model which makes this possible. Companies in Germany that can demonstrate that they are unable to pay because of the impact of coronavirus can ask their landlords to put off payments for three months." The government also decided to request an extension of the state of emergency by another month beginning April 11. The proposal will need to be approved by parliament where several parties have come out in favor of just a two-week extension. The government also decided to allow stores selling household goods to open as of today. Havlíček said such stores had to offer standard healthcare items such as face masks, disinfectants and gloves in order to reduce the size of lines now forming at pharmacies.