Thousands rally in Prague against government’s public broadcasting overhaul plan
Thousands of Czechs rallied in the capital on Sunday to condemn a plan by the government led by populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis to overhaul funding for public broadcasters that is considered dangerous for their independence.
The protesters gathered in front of the Czech public television offices in Prague, Czech Republic, to voice their support for the media a day before their staff plan to go on a warning strike, and after recent protest marches in the regional capitals and Prague.
According to the plan approved last week, public radio and television would be financed from the state budget starting next year, and not from fees paid by individuals, households and businesses.
Critics say that change would give the three-party coalition government a means to take control of the media following the examples of populist governments in Slovakia under Prime Minister Robert Fico and in Hungary under former prime minister Viktor Orban.
“The media don’t belong to politicians,” Mikulas Minar, a main organiser from the Million Moments for Democracy group said. “They belong to us all and we won’t allow them to be stolen from us.”
Babis, members of his government and loyal lawmakers have a record of attacks against the public and other mainstream media.