Czech liquor producers may have payment deferred over prohibition

However, the ministry does not consider any compensation for the liquor producers.

"I stress that we are not considering any compensation or payment/tax reliefs," Kalousek said.

He added that the planned reliefs would concern "deadlines and not the volume" of finances, and they would apply to advance tax payments and instalments.

The Health Ministry banned the sale of spirits containing more than 20 percent of alcohol across the country on September 14 in reaction to a high number of methanol poisoning cases caused by the consumption of bootleg alcohol.

Moreover, the government banned all exports of spirits with over 20 percent of alcohol. It reacted to the pressure from Brussels since the EU intended to ban liquor imports from the Czech Republic for up to two months.

Last Wednesday, the government of Petr Necas (Civic Democrats, ODS) decided to soften the prohibition. The respective ministries should prepare the measures by Wednesday.

Kalousek said he firmly hoped that the necessary steps would be taken by the end of the week. They include a new type of stamps on alcohol bottles and special certificates with clear data on the their origin and handling.

Apart from new production, the market with 21 million litres of spirits that ended up in storage facilities over the prohibition must be revived, Kalousek said. The measures to enable the sale of newly produced spirits and the old bottles must be taken simultaneously, he added.

Author: ČTK
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