PRESS RELEASE: Monthly Monitoring Report No. 04/2019

Prague, 17 April 2019 – By closing 11 post offices for 5 to 77 days, the Czech Post violated its obligation to ensure the availability of post offices every business day in scope of minimum 15 hours of a 5-business day week according to Decree No. 464/2012 Coll. The Czech Telecommunication Office imposed a fine in the amount of CZK 515 698. The Monitoring Report No. 4/2019 informs about the final decision on the administrative offence committed in 2013.

During the administrative proceeding, Czech Post argued, that in the questioned time 99,68% of its post offices were fully operating. The Post also stated, that the fine should take into consideration the utilization rate of a post office. CTU denied such argumentation claiming, that each post office, whose operation is required by the law, must comply with the postal duty.

The Monitoring Report further draws attention to an obligation to pay billing statement, which is opposed by a subscriber. Filing a complaint, or subsequently an objection against handling of the complaint, does not on its own remove subscriber’s obligation to pay for the opposed billing statement. On the other hand, it is possible to request a deferral of the effect of the complaint, or objection, by CTU. In such case, the due date of the commitment is extended until a final decision on the complaint or objection is made.

The report also points out a publication of a complementary form ART183 in the system of electronic data collection. Undertakings in electronic communications can submit it by 20 May.

The Monitoring Report is available here.