Prague will launch a campaign alerting debtors to the so-called gracious summer
At the same time, the management of Prague called on all its companies and organizations to start communicating with debtors. Exactly how many people are involved in the execution in the metropolis and how many people owe, it is now impossible to say exactly.
A gracious summer concerns debtors of public institutions and companies. If they pay the original amount due and 908 crowns of remuneration to the executor, they will be forgiven penalties, interest and other payments. Summer begins on October 28, 2021 and ends on January 28, 2022.
“A gracious summer means a huge chance for many debtors to start a debt-free start. In the Czech Republic, there are hundreds of thousands of people who are unable to break out of the debt trap, because the amount owed has increased many times due to immorally high accessories and the cost of execution. We want to do everything for Prague so that as many people as possible learn about the possibility of getting rid of debt, “said councilor Hana Kordová Marvanová.
The municipality will launch an information campaign. An information leaflet has been produced, which will be in printed and digital form. It will be distributed in public transport, on the Internet or in municipal institutions. Audiovisual spots will also be broadcast. From the leaflet, people will learn exactly how to proceed. If they do not understand the procedure, a free infoline will be set up for them. The People in Need organization also has a debt counseling center on 770 600 800, with which the municipality cooperates. The activities of the counseling centers will be coordinated.
It is not yet clear exactly how many debtors there are in Prague, as many people may have several executions at once. According to city officials, people owe, for example, to a transport company (DPP), Pražská plynárenská, Pražská energetika or the Prague Services for waste collection. According to MP Patrik Načer, if a city company participates in the event, they will receive money in the form of security, which they do not have now. For example, people owe town halls on rents or unpaid offenses when parking in paid zones. The mayor of Prague 7, Jan Čižinský, said that the seventh city district used the population register to contact debtors. He considers assistance from foreclosures and thus reducing the number of debtors to be in the public interest.
One of the companies that people need for a high overall start is the aforementioned DPP. According to Deputy Mayor Adam Scheinherr, the company is involved in up to 173,000 executions in the total amount of over 180 million crowns. “To make it easier for everyone, we at DPP will run our own marketing campaign to reach as many people as possible,” he said. The warning will be, among other things, in public transport or in the transport center.
Nacher urged borrowers not to leave the solution to the last minute. “Let’s assume that there will always be a delay, which will increase according to the number of obligors,” he said.
Today, the city management approved a resolution requesting all city entities, town halls and their companies to participate in the event and inform their debtors or customers. The municipality will provide the mentioned leaflets and a more detailed manual for officials on how to proceed.
In the first nine months, 332,100 new executions began in the Czech Republic. This is about six percent more than last year for the same period, when there were 312,400. The largest year-on-year increase was in Eastern Bohemia, by almost 16 percent.