ENERGO: Czech government to file a criminal complaint against bankrupt Bohemia Energy company

The Czech government is to file a criminal complaint for suspected fraudulent behaviour over the bankruptcy of the Bohemia Energy group, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) said on November 1. 

According to Babis, the group had deceived its clients. "We will file a criminal complaint for fraudulent behaviour. And we will return to the institution of a joint legal action. I now recommend to all the victims to co-ordinate and act in unison against this group of companies," the prime minister said.

The legislation proposal for a joint legal action is to be approved by the outgoing government in the upcoming days and submitted to the new Chamber of Deputies. 

The Bohemia Energy Group went bankrupt in mid-October, and left almost 1mn of its customers without a standard energy supplier. The group´s clients are now temporarily provided with energy by last resort companies who, however, require advance payments up to three times higher than a standard energy supplier.  

The Minister of Industry and Trade (MIT) Karel Havlicek has agreed with the Energy Regulatory Office (ERU) on capping the advance invoices for clients in the supplier of last resort regime, which will be announced on November 2. 

"Based on intensive negotiations between the MIT and the ERU, we would like to announce that the Energy Regulatory Office accepts our proposal and will submit a decree on the basis of which advances to suppliers of last resort will be capped," Havlicek said on his Twitter account.

Babis´ government is also planning emergency immediate aid for households at risk of energy poverty, which includes a VAT waiver and a waiver of payments for renewable energy sources.