Babiš skipped the Czech TV and radio fee vote: “I was asleep”

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš told reporters on Monday why he did not vote in the Chamber of Deputies on the bill abolishing fees for Czech Television and Czech Radio: “I was asleep.” The bill passed its first reading overnight on Saturday and, according to the prime minister, the text may still change.

“I didn’t vote because I was asleep. When you work 20 hours a day, and I was also paired off — all Saturday I answered messages from seven in the morning until eleven at night, so I’m working constantly,” Babiš said. For context: a “pairing” is a custom in the Chamber of Deputies whereby, when a deputy from one side of the political spectrum is absent, the other side agrees that one of its own deputies will stay away too, preserving the balance of power.

On Friday, on a proposal by Speaker Tomio Okamura (SPD), the Chamber decided that deputies would vote on the document on Saturday at 4:36 a.m.; the opposition’s motions shifted the time slightly. Deputies also backed Okamura’s proposal to limit speaking time for rank-and-file MPs. According to Babiš, the debate dragged on until morning because of opposition obstruction.

The government’s bill to abolish television and radio fees cleared the way to a second reading in the Chamber of Deputies: in the early hours of Saturday the opposition failed to get it rejected. After the introductory stage, the bill will be sent to committees. Babiš insists the law may still change, including how ČT and ČRo are funded from the state budget. In the second reading the prime minister intends to join the debate more actively: in his view the first round is not so important, and the second, where the opposition can also speak, will be the key one. He did not rule out amendments.

“In our one-on-one talks we discussed this, and I finally found out what Czech Television needs the money for. I understand it, and of course the discussion is open. It’s nowhere written that there won’t be a fixed sum — all of this is still up for discussion,” Babiš said.

The opposition sharply criticizes the planned change to ČT and ČRo funding. On Friday, demonstrators gathered in front of the Chamber building, where the bill was being debated, and stayed through the night. On Sunday afternoon, protesters filled Old Town Square in Prague at a rally organized by the “Million Moments” association. The opposition promises to fight the bill at every remaining stage of the legislative process.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz