Several dozen protesters attempted to enter the building of the Chamber of Deputies in Prague on the night of October 24. Police officers from the special unit for the protection of public order intervened and stopped the group. No arrests were made, and the situation was brought under control, police spokeswoman Eva Kropacova told Novinky.
The incident occurred during a protest on Malostranský Square, right next to the parliament building. The demonstration began on October 23 against the ruling coalition's intention to abolish fees for Czech Television and Czech Radio. According to police, several hundred people were on the square after 10 p.m. Some of them moved to the entrances and windows of the parliament, chanting calls for the authorities to cancel the changes.
The bill was removed from the agenda ahead of schedule
The protest was called after the decision of the coalition ANO, SPD and “Motorists“ to consider the bill on changing the financing of public media with priority in the first reading. The Chamber of Deputies allowed the session to continue at night and on Saturday.
The proposal provides for the abolition of the television and radio fees, which are currently the main source of funds for public media, and the transfer of funding to the state budget. The opposition claims that this will make Czech Television and Czech Radio dependent on the government. The government rejects this and describes the change as a modernization of the way the public service is financed.
“I reject the notion that the change in the financing of public service media is an attack on democracy or the end of their independence“, said Culture Minister Otto Klempyr, quoted by Czech Television. He pointed out that budget financing is also used in other European countries.
Smaller budgets proposed
According to data presented by the European Broadcasting Union, the bill envisages a reduction in the total funding of the two media by around 1.4 billion Czech crowns per year. Their budgets would reach approximately 7.8 billion crowns, which is about 15 percent less than the funds after the fee increase in 2025.
In the first reading, the opposition failed to reject the bill or return it to the government for revision. Both proposals received 81 votes out of 177 deputies present. After the initial stage, the bill was sent to parliamentary committees.
The dispute will continue outside parliament. Employees of Czech Television and Czech Radio have announced a day-long strike for November 3. A new demonstration in Prague, organized by the civil movement “Million Moments“, is also planned for Sunday.
Sources: novinky.cz, ceskenoviny.cz, ct24.ceskatelevize.cz