Babiš: The government will return to the New Green Savings program, which reduced costs for people

Prague – The government will return to the subsidy program New Green Savings, which supported energy-efficient home renovations, and will look for funding for it. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) said today in the program Five Minutes to Midnight on Nova TV, noting that the program reduced costs for people. The head of the Motorists' Association, Petr Macinka, who heads the Ministry of the Environment, previously announced adjustments to the program due to a lack of funds.

"We inherited an empty treasury, but this project was very good for people, and we want to return to it,” said the prime minister. According to him, the program reduced people's costs, for example, for heating, and also had a significant investment effect.

The New Green Savings program has been functioning since 2009 as a financial tool motivating owners to renovate the housing stock and reduce energy consumption. During its operation, it has supported about 600,000 households, two-thirds of which since 2021, during which time investments in household energy savings amounted to approximately 55 billion crowns, according to the ministry.

In November, the Ministry of the Environment temporarily closed the acceptance of grant applications. The reason was the high interest from applicants, which led to a quicker depletion of funds allocated for last year, but submitted applications continued without restriction.

At the end of January, Macinka stated that the previous government overestimated revenues from emission allowances to the State Environmental Fund at 12 billion crowns. The current government is working with a budget of 5.5 billion. Former Minister of the Environment Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL) subsequently stated that he did not understand how Macinka arrived at a lower amount for the allowances. According to him, the amount of 12 billion was based on the official forecast from the ministry, and the prices of allowances had also risen.

Among other things, the fund covers the New Green Savings program. Macinka said that the program needs to be adjusted. Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček (ANO) indicated that support would be mainly based on guarantees and assurances.

Eva Neudertová, the director of the Association for the Use of Heat Pumps, stated that if the program were terminated without replacement, it would be a nightmare scenario for Czech households and fundamentally contradict what Babiš's government promised them.