Czech state aid for flooded areas: Labor Offices are prepared, mobile teams are in the field, fast assistance can amount to almost EUR 2900
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (Civic Democratic Party - ODS) says citizens of his country can draw on exceptional, immediate financial aid right now during the flood. Speaking on the Partie program on CNN Prima News, the PM said the current situation may also require extraordinary government measures. For the time being, in his view, it is impossible to say whether this will affect negotiations on the budget.
“Right now citizens have an opportunity to request aid, the Labor Offices are prepared for that, it is possible to draw on exceptional, immediate financial assistance, the amount can be as much as CZK 73,000 [EUR 3,000],” Fiala said. Questions about this exceptional, immediate financial help can be answered by the Labor Office phone line at number 800 779 900.
“Labor Offices are prepared to aid everybody who has ended up in a difficult situation because of the ongoing floods. We want to provide assistance and support to people in need as effectively and as fast as possible. Our mobile teams are prepared to go into the field and are able to deliver financial help directly to people in need in the most afflicted areas,” said Daniel Krištof, Director-General of the Labor Offices of the Czech Republic.
The purpose of the exceptional, immediate aid is to provide financial security to a specific family or individual temporarily until they will be able to draw on support from other sources such as insurance. The amount of the assistance depends on the applicant’s assets, social situation, and the household’s income situation and can amount to as much as 15 times the basic minimum income for an individual, with the maximum disbursal being CZK 72,900 [EUR 2,900]. The Labor Office investigates the circle of persons who have been affected together and who manage a household together. The exceptional, immediate help, according to the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry, is paid to just one representative of a household, i.e., one benefit per family.
“I want to assure all citizens that if they end up in an exceptional situation as a consequence of the flood, especially in relation to housing, we are prepared to directly, immediately aid them through the MOP [exceptional, immediate aid]. In justified cases it is also possible to provide assistance repeatedly. At moments like these we must also not forget about the most-endangered groups, for example, people living with disabilities and senior citizens. Those are the people who can be affected the most by the flood and its repercussions. If you have such people in your neighborhood, do not forget to inform them about this help. Together we will cope with the entirety of this situation,” Labor and Social Affairs Minister Marian Jurečka (Christian Democrats – KDU-ČSL) said.
The PM also reminded the public that the Ministry for Regional Development also has programs to offer. “This is actually an extreme, extraordinary situation that may require exceptional measures of the Government in the days to come,” Fiala said.
