Prague, July 20 (CTK) – Blood and bone marrow donors in the Czech Republic will see their tax reliefs increase under a draft amendment to the income tax law, proposed by opposition TOP 09/STAN deputies and smoothly passed by the Senate today.
Those donating blood for free can lower their tax base by 3,000 crowns instead of the present 2,000.
Bone marrow donors can newly deduct 20,000 crowns from the tax base.
To take effect, the bill needs to be signed by President Milos Zeman.
Its authors said the present 2,000-crown relief for blood donation dates back to 1996 when the average monthly pay in the country was 9,800 crowns, compared with the present 27,900.
It is not motivating any more, they said.
The increased relief is still a symbolical sum aimed to show the donors that the society appreciates their step, MP Vera Kovarova (opposition STAN) said in the Senate before the vote today.
The cabinet previously supported the bill, as did the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament.
In the Senate, the bill was supported by 62 of the 65 senators present, with no one being opposed to it.
($1=22.572 crowns)
rtj/dr/kva
