Finance minister: law on electronic cash registers filling state coffers

The law on electronic cash registers introduced by the outgoing government has had a positive impact on state finances, Finance Minister Ivan Pilný said at a press briefing in Prague on Friday. He said that since the law on compulsory electronic cash registers was introduced in January, the state had collected an additional 4.1 billion crowns in taxes, a figure that could rise to 5 billion by the end of the year.

Over 160,000 entrepreneurs registered with the ministry in the first year and another 300,000 will start delivering electronic records of their earnings in 2018.

The centre-right parties have criticized the move saying it will put many small entrepreneurs out of business. According to the Czech Association of Hotels and Restaurants over 3,000 restaurants closed their doors following its introduction. The chairman of the association Václav Stárek told the ctk news agency that while the number was slightly higher than in previous years it was not a dramatic decline.