Protesters in Prague expressed their support for the employees of Czech Television and Radio, who are preparing for a warning strike due to changes in funding.
Thousands of people gathered in Prague on Sunday at a protest march in support of public media organized by the association Milion chvilek pro democracy. They asked the Minister of Culture, Oto Klempíř, to withdraw the proposal to cancel concessionaire fees and called on him to resign. TASR informs about it according to the portal Novinky.cz.
Protesters chanted slogans such as “We don’t want Eštebákov”, “Here, wrap it up” and “We won’t give the media”. The march led from the Pražské povstání metro station in front of the Czech Television (ČT) building in Kavčí hory.
Employee support
“We are here today because, thank God, the employees of CT and Radio are behaving bravely and do not want to be bought or give up without a fight. We support their Monday strike and we are here to show that we stand behind them, that we thank them and that we will not leave them alone,” declared the chairman of the Milion chvilek association Mikuláš Minář, according to whom oligarchs, extremists and jerks want to steal the country. He invited Prime Minister Andrej Babiš to a televised debate.
Demonstrators were greeted in front of the CT building by employees who thanked them for their support. “We want a professional debate, not a political dictate,” stated the chairman of the CT and Czech Radio (ČRo) unions Vlastimil Vojtěch. Employees posted the sign “Thank you” on the CT building.
Changes in media funding
On Monday, the Czech government approved an amendment to the law on changing the financing of ČT and ČRo, as a result of which ČT will lose about one billion crowns and ČRo about 350 million. However, Babiš rejects the criticism, according to him there is room for savings in both institutions. He also repeatedly pointed out that the coalition does not intend to interfere with broadcasting or control the media, as the opposition claims.
In response to the changes approved by the government, employees and external collaborators of ČT and CRo announced a warning strike on Monday. According to the Public Law initiative, which covers the action, the strike concerns all television and radio channels, with the exception of children’s channels.
“We saw it in Hungary. We see it in Slovakia. We must not allow it here,” said the organizers of the Sunday march.
