Hundreds of thousands of people protested in Prague, Czech Republic, this Sunday against the government’s plan to abolish the fee that funds public media and shift its funding to the state budget. According to organizers, around 350,000 to 450,000 people attended the rally, making it one of the country’s largest demonstrations since the Velvet Revolution of 1989.
According to foreign media reports, protesters gathered in Letna Park, carrying signs defending media freedom and independence from politics. They oppose the plan put forward by Prime Minister Andrej Babis’s government, warning that changing the funding model could make public television and radio more dependent on political decisions.
Të lidhura
None found
Babis, meanwhile, defends the initiative, arguing that abolishing the fee would ease the financial burden on families. However, journalists, the opposition and civil society organizations warn that funding cuts could seriously undermine the operations and independence of public broadcasters.
