The contribution to persons with disabilities for the purchase of a car will probably increase by 85,000 crowns. This was approved by the House of Representatives today, when at the same time, in an amendment to the Value Added Tax Act, it abolished the possibility of returning this tax to the disabled. The state contributes between 100,000 and 200,000 crowns for a car, depending on the amount of family income. The government proposed to cancel the possibility of VAT refunds for the disabled. Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura (ODS) has repeatedly assured that the reason is not budget savings, but non-compliance with European law. The change must still be considered by the Senate.
The government has already stated that this option was introduced into the law even before the Czech Republic joined the EU in 2004, based on the request of the Ministry of Labour. It aimed to strengthen the state’s social policy towards the disabled. According to an earlier statement by Minister Stanjura, the current form of the refund did not suit socially weaker people, because the tax is refunded only when a new vehicle is purchased from a VAT payer, and not for a used vehicle from a non-payer. According to him, the tax was not refunded, for example, to those who bought such a car from another family.
The House also approved the proposal of Labor Minister Marian Jurečka (KDU-ČSL). His proposal extends for two years, until the end of 2026, financial support for people who have to use artificial lung ventilation or an oxygen therapy machine at home. The state started subsidizing their electricity because of its high prices. According to Jurečka, the benefits will be revised in the next two years, and then it will be clear whether this form of support makes sense.
Source: www.tyden.cz
