By Jan Lopatka
PRAGUE, Oct 23 (Reuters) – The Czech ruling coalition moved on Friday to fast-track legislation that would move public media financing into the state budget and cut funding, a plan critics say threatens press independence.
The populist government, led by billionaire Andrej Babis and backed by a pro-Russian far-right party, has frequently attacked public and private media critical of its policies.
The proposal, which had been flagged previously but was unexpectedly brought to a first parliamentary reading on Friday, would cut funding for Czech Television and Czech Radio by about 15%, possibly during next year.
It would also scrap the licence fee system under which households pay 205 crowns ($9.44) a month and instead finance the broadcasters through the state budget.
Critics say the changes would weaken the broadcasters and leave them more vulnerable to political influence. Czech Television is the country’s most-watched broadcaster across the main age groups.
An action group of journalists and other employees in public media said they would hold a strike on November 3 in protest.
“It has been stated clearly by experts from Czechia and abroad, significant parts of society and the media themselves that the government’s plan threatens independence and stability of the media,” the group, Verejnopravne, said.
In another unusual move, the lower house voted to extend debate, the first of three required readings, into Saturday in a bid to overcome opposition obstruction.
Zdenek Hrib, leader of the opposition Pirate Party, likened the government’s behaviour to Hungary under former prime minister Viktor Orban, whose rule was marked by disputes over media freedom and the rule of law.
“We are seeing here that Andrej Babis and his entourage… have embarked on the trajectory of installing an authoritarian regime,” Hrib said in the opening debate in parliament.
GOVERNMENT SAYS PLAN FOLLOWS EUROPEAN TREND
ANO, the leading party in the coalition, pledged before last year’s election to abolish licence fees so households would no longer pay directly for public broadcasting.
“The government is led to this change by a European trend under which ever more European countries depart from the fee-funded principle,” the proposal submitted to parliament said.
The government has argued that savings are needed at the broadcasters and that the changes would not affect editorial coverage or independence.
The move sits uneasily with the government’s efforts to curb budget deficits. The 2027 budget projects a wider deficit but makes no provision for public media funding.
Journalists and media organisations see the changes as an attempt to increase political control over coverage.
They say the proposals have not been subjected to sufficient public debate, lack safeguards against political interference and would make funding more dependent on politicians.
Reporters Without Borders, the International Press Institute and the European Broadcasting Union are among the organisations that have criticised the plan.
($1 = 21.7240 Czech crowns)
(Reporting by Jan Lopatka. Editing by Mark Potter)
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