Tens of thousands of Czechs protested in Prague against the reform of public media funding

Tens of thousands of people protested in Prague on Sunday in defense of press freedom and against the government’s plan to change the funding of public radio and television. The protest was organized by the civic initiative “A Million Moments for Democracy,” amid fears that the reform could undermine the editorial independence of the two institutions.

Participants displayed messages such as “Stop the government of arrogance and destruction” and “We do not want a return to censorship.” In recent days, smaller demonstrations have taken place in Prague, Brno, and other cities in the Czech Republic.

The government led by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš wants to eliminate the fee paid by citizens for public radio and television services and introduce direct funding from the state budget. The bill was adopted in its first reading by the Chamber of Deputies during a session held on Saturday night and is to be reviewed by parliamentary committees.

President Petr Pavel criticized the executive’s haste and the organization of the debate over the weekend and during the night. Opponents warn that the new mechanism could increase the dependence of public media on the government and encourage political interference in editorial activities.