PM Babiš says media strike and protests will not change government’s plans

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said Tuesday’s strike at Czech Television and Czech Radio, and the accompanying demonstrations, would not change the governing coalition’s plans to abolish licence fees for households and businesses.

Babiš said over the weekend that details of the new funding model were still open to discussion. He dismissed concerns about threats to media independence and described the protests as a democratic right.

Staff at both broadcasters held a one-day strike over the government’s plan to transfer their funding from licence fees to the state budget, warning that this could undermine their independence and financial stability.

Rallies were held in Prague, Brno, Ostrava and other cities, with university students, theatres and other institutions also joining the protests.