Ruling coalition drops plan for law targeting foreign-funded NGOs

The Czech government is not preparing legislation that would penalize organizations receiving foreign funding, Justice Minister Jeroným Tejc (ANO) said following Monday’s cabinet meeting.

Instead, the government plans to introduce a decree expanding reporting obligations for non-profit organizations, requiring them to disclose details of their funding sources.

According to Seznam Zprávy, a group of coalition MPs had been working on a draft law targeting NGOs financed partly from abroad. The proposal envisioned the creation of a new registry for entities operating in the Czech public sphere with any level of foreign funding or ties. The registry was to be managed by the Justice Ministry, which would also oversee compliance, handle administrative offenses, and impose sanctions. The proposal triggered strong criticism, with experts warning that it bore similarities to Russia’s “foreign agents” legislation.