Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš moves to fund TV and radio from state budget

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said the financing of Czech Television (ČT) and Czech Radio (ČRo) could be transferred from licence fees to the state budget by amending the existing law. He noted that only one statute would change, adding that "the money will come from the budget, not from the people".

The proposal, drafted by Culture Minister Oto Klempíř, has attracted several hundred comments. A working group – including Babiš, coalition leaders, and the chiefs of ČT and ČRo, Hynek Chudárek and René Zavoral – is set to meet on 9 June.

Meanwhile, the unions of ČT and ČRo issued an open letter urging Babiš to halt the changes, arguing that the current fee system ensures responsible budgeting and that moving funding to the state budget would make all taxpayers, without exemption, cover the cost. They also called for an expert working group to discuss the future of public service media.