Czech morning news in brief: top stories for Nov. 12, 2020

Top news stories for November 12, 2020, compiled from Czech media.

SMALL BUSINESS -- President Miloš Zeman signed the law on the compensation bonus for entrepreneurs. According to the Minister of Finance Alena Schillerová (ANO), the payment could start next week. The state will pay CZK 500 a day to self-employed persons and partners of small limited liability companies. (iDnes.cz)

COVID -- Spa resorts prepared several thousands of beds for people with a mild course of coronavirus who do not need intensive care. The state will use them if hospitals become overburdened with COVID patients, Deputy PM and Central Crisis Staff (UKS) head Jan Hamacek told reporters Wednesday.

WEATHER -- Over the next few days, meteorologists report cloudy weather accompanied by fog and occasional drizzle. The highest daytime temperatures will rise to thirteen degrees Celsius, and the nighttime temperatures will remain slightly above freezing for the following days. Snow showers may occur in the highest mountain areas. (CHMI)

ECONOMY -- The Czech Chamber of Deputies passed the 2021 budget bill in first reading Wednesday, approving the draft budget's basic parameters including the deficit of 320 billion crowns. Earlier on Wednesay, President Milos Zeman turned up in the Chamber to speak in support of the bill. The government-proposed budget bill projects the state revenues in 2021 at CZK 1,488 billion and expenditures at 1,808 billion. It reckons with the economic growth of 3.9 percent, compared with the 6.6-percent fall expected this year.

ECONOMY -- The koruna strengthened against the euro on Wednesday, while weakening against the dollar. Around 17:00 it traded at CZK 26.44 / EUR and at CZK 22.48 / USD. It added two pennies to the euro against Tuesday's end, losing ten pennies to the dollar. The shares of Philip Morris and banks helped the Prague Stock Exchange grow.