The Czech Post has been criticized for delayed deliveries as some customers face weeks-long delays receiving mail. After a recent collapse in the country’s south, where letters and packages were delayed for over three weeks, complaints have been coming in from other parts of the country, causing severe problems for some entrepreneurs.
According to an accountant from Zbraslav, a district of Prague, who processes monthly tax returns for a client in southern Moravia, the post office does not deliver on time, despite charging for expedited delivery. The accountant claims that the post office in Zbraslav now provides only once a week. If an envelope arrives at the main post office in the neighboring Radotín, it is delivered only the following week, usually after seven days.
This delivery delay is causing additional problems for some, including the elderly, who rely on timely delivery of magazines and newspapers to keep up with current events. Some have trouble with their television subscriptions because the program guides are outdated when they receive the new magazine. Subscribers are forced to repeatedly complain to the post office, which does not fulfill its contractual obligations.
According to a spokesperson for the Czech Post, there have been problems in several locations due to managerial failures, with managers unable to cover gaps when employees leave. The spokesperson confirmed that the post office is dealing with the issue and hopes to resolve it by the end of August.
Despite the spokesperson’s reassurances, the situation concerns many, including businesses that rely on timely delivery of essential documents. With a delay in processing, some face fines of up to 50,000 CZK for late submissions. The post office has also faced criticism for reducing the number of delivery personnel, with some areas now having only one delivery person for a region that previously had three or four.
The Czech Post has had to deal with cuts to its workforce, with 1277 employees leaving this year, primarily branch employees and delivery personnel. The situation is not expected to improve anytime soon, leaving many to wonder how long they will have to wait for their mail.