Nečas says S-Cards will not be mandatory for payments

Prime Minister Petr Nečas announced Tuesday that people will not be required to use the recently introduced social benefits S-Cards for payment purposes. The S-Cards will be used for identification purposes, but people will not be required to receive electronic pension, welfare and benefits payments on the cards. Following political and public criticism of the scheme that was launched last week, the prime minister and the new Labor and Social Affairs Minister Ludmila Müllerová opened talks with the Česká spořitelna bank, which is in charge of operating the S-Cards, to change the current agreement the company has with the ministry.

Author: Masha Volynsky