A station broadcast in 27 languages for 23 countries is fighting for funds that are crucial for its functioning in repressive companies.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Freedom (RFE/RL) began sending its employees from the headquarters in Prague on Tuesday for unpaid holidays. The reason is that the United States agency for the global media (USAGM) did not send the radio station for April finance approved by Congress. The station announced this on its website, says TASR.
The authorized USAGM chief Kari Lake reported last week that the $ 77 million grant funding agreement is again valid. Nevertheless, the radio station has not received any funds allocated by Congress.
“USAGM did not approve the RFE/RL financial plan for April, although it received it almost two weeks ago. Yet the previous financial plans for this fiscal year approved promptly,” he writes in its latest RFE/RL statement.
On Monday, RFE/RL filed a new complaint at the Washington District Court, requesting a precautionary measure that would receive the money allocated to April, as well as the congress -approved funds for the rest of the current fiscal year.
“For more than seven decades, RFE/RL has been an important part of the United States National Security and is fighting censorship to bring messages to millions of people in the world’s most remarkable companies. RFE/RL will take legal steps in court until we have sufficient confidence that USAGM will proceed according to the law.” RFE/RL Stephen Capus.
RFE/RL has been based in Prague since 1995 and broadcasts in 27 languages for 23 countries, including Russia, where it was declared a “unwanted organization” in February 2024.
US President Donald Trump ordered a decree signed on 14 March ordered extensive cuts in the USAGM, in charge of all state -funded foreign broadcast programs that are not operated by the army. It is part of his efforts to slim down the federal administration.
