Thousands of people protested in the Czech Republic against plans to change the funding of Czech Television and Czech Radio. Demonstrations were held in Prague, Brno, Liberec and České Budějovice, with the largest in the capital.
About 10,000 people gathered on Prague's Old Town Square, according to the organizers of the civic initiative “A Million Moments for Democracy“. Protesters filled the square and parts of neighboring streets. Police restricted access from two directions, and traffic on “Parižka“ Street was temporarily suspended.
The participants carried Czech and European Union flags, as well as posters with the inscriptions “The media will not take them away from us“ and “Public, not government media“. The protesters criticized the government and the ruling coalition of ANO, SPD and “Motorists“.
About 4,000 people protested in Brno
The demonstration in Brno gathered about 4,000 people, according to the estimate of the secretary of the Brno-Centre district, Petr Štika. Similar events were also held in Liberec and České Budějovice. According to Czech Television, the participants insisted that the public media should remain independent of the political authorities.
The chairman of “A Million Moments for Democracy“ Mikulas Minař called on Prime Minister Andrej Babis to withdraw the bill and participate in a public debate. "At 4:36, important laws are not passed without the necessary debate," he said, referring to the time the Chamber of Deputies approved the proposal in the first reading.
What the bill provides
The bill provides for the abolition of television and radio fees, which are currently the main source of funds for Czech Television and Czech Radio. Instead, the two media outlets will receive money from the state budget.
According to the published parameters, Czech Television should receive 5.74 billion Czech crowns next year, and Czech Radio - 2.065 billion crowns. Czech Television says the amounts are about 15 percent lower than the funds the two institutions have after the fee increase.
Prime Minister Babis said that future funding would be guaranteed by law as a mandatory state expense and would be linked to inflation. According to him, this would ensure greater stability and independence for public media.
Culture Minister Otto Klempir rejected claims that the change was an attack on democracy or the end of the independence of Czech Television and Czech Radio.
Strike and new protest coming
Employees at the two public media outlets have announced a full-day strike on November 3. The opposition said it would challenge the way the bill was put on the fast-track list and announced its intention to take the matter to the Constitutional Court and the European Commission.
The bill is due to be considered by parliamentary committees and go through the next stages of the legislative procedure. Protest organizers have announced a new gathering in Prague on November 15 at Letná Square.
Sources: ct24.ceskatelevize.cz, apnews.com