Scrap incentive unlikely as Social Democrats withdraw support

The introduction of a long-anticipated scrap car incentive appears unlikely, as the Social Democratic Party has withdrawn support for it. Speaking on Czech Television on Sunday, shadow finance minister Bohuslav Sobotka said there was no pressing rationale for implementing the scheme if positive developments on the automobile market continue. The Automobile Industry Association was not happy with the statement, however. The association’s director Antonín Šípek said the party’s stance showed a misunderstanding of the purpose of the incentive, which he said was originally introduced elsewhere to get environmentally unfriendly and unsafe automobiles off the roads, rather than to stimulate the economy.