Ministry of Finance plans to raise a regulated rent by 4% as of July. However, rent paid by households in flats with regulated rent will be adjusted to the size of the flat. Thus, Ministry of finance expects an average increase of rent by 5-7%.
Tax offices last year tried to obtain outstanding tax claims worth CZK 46.1bn of which CZK 6.7bn was recovered, while in 2000 they collected CZK 4.5bn of tax arrears worth CZK 41bn. Tax arrears worth CZK 11.1bn were written off last year.
Car maker Skoda Auto is most likely preparing a two-day shutdown around Easter following similar measures at other plants of its German owner Volkswagen. Skoda Auto management will discuss this possibility with unions today. A lower demand on world markets in the last quarter of 2001 made the car maker introduce several shutdowns throughout Oct and Dec 2001.
The opposition Civic Democrats will try to put through the decision on shortening the compulsory military service from current 12 months to 9 months by the end of this year, said ODS deputy chairman Petr Necas.
European business confidence was unchanged in February after rising for two months. A European Commission index based on a survey of 50,000 companies showed business confidence unchanged at minus 14. A separate index, compiled from a survey of 25,000 households, showed consumer confidence rose to minus 9 from minus 11.
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David Marek