Full Breakdown
Prague Protests Escalate Over Plan to Shift Public Media Funding to State Budget
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Mass Demonstrations Against Funding Reform
On October 25, 2026, thousands gathered in Prague’s Old Town Square to protest a proposal to abolish licence fees and move financing for Czech Television (CT) and Czech Radio (CRo) onto the state budget. The protest was organized by the civic initiative Milion chvilek pro demokracii.
Background & Context
Prime Minister Andrej Babiš leads a three-party coalition that includes the Motorists party and Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD). The coalition advanced the reform in the Chamber of Deputies without the usual timetable, prompting accusations that it seeks greater leverage over public broadcasters. Critics compare the move to media-control tactics in Hungary under Viktor Orbán and Slovakia under Robert Fico.
Key Figures & Groups
- Andrej Babiš — Prime Minister, ANO leader.
- Mikuláš Minár — Organizer, Milion chvilek.
- Oto Klempír — Culture Minister.
- Petr Pavel — President, critic of the overnight vote.
- CT and CRo — Public television and radio broadcasters.
Timeline
- October 25, 2026 – Protest in Old Town Square.
- Early Saturday morning – First parliamentary reading vote at 4:36 a.m., limiting debate.
- November 3, 2026 – One-day strike by CT and CRo staff.
- November 15, 2026 – Rally at Letná Park, two days before the Velvet Revolution anniversary.
Data & Statistics
- The reform would cut public-media budgets by roughly 15 %, about CZK 1.4 billion per year for each broadcaster.
- Attendance estimates vary from “thousands” to “hundreds”; no official count has been released.
- The accelerated vote prevented 65 MPs from speaking.
Official Statements & Responses
- Andrej Babiš rejected accusations of media control, saying state funding is common in Europe and fulfills a campaign promise.
- President Petr Pavel said the overnight scheduling undermined confidence in the government’s intentions.
- Culture Minister Oto Klempír described the state-budget model as a standard European practice.
- Opposition parties and Milion chvilek called the procedure a breach of parliamentary norms and warned that budget dependence could increase political influence.
Criticism & Opposition
- Critics view the plan as a pathway for the coalition to exert greater control over public-service media.
- Employees of CT and CRo, backed by unions, university rectors and churches, have scheduled a strike for November 3.
- Milion chvilek calls the proposal a serious threat to media independence and demands its withdrawal.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Attendance figures differ across sources; no verified count is available.
- The exact impact of a 15 % budget cut on programming quality and editorial independence has not been quantified, and details of the forthcoming constitutional-court challenge remain unclear.
What’s Next
The bill must survive a second reading in the lower house and obtain Senate approval. Opposition parties plan to challenge the legislation before the constitutional court and the European Commission. A larger demonstration is scheduled for November 15 at Letná Park.