Czech deputies rush to abolish TV and radio fees in parliament

The ruling coalition of ANO, SPD and the Motorists secured an unscheduled debate in the Chamber of Deputies on the government bill to abolish the television and radio fee. The item was moved ahead of the Friday agenda, and deputies may also sit on Saturday, although the original plan did not include this item at all.

The motion for urgent consideration was submitted by SPD caucus leader Radim Fiala. The coalition wants to replace the fees with funding for Czech Television and Czech Radio from the state budget. The bill is in first reading. The opposition speaks of the nationalization of public media and a threat to their independence.

The opposition threatens a filibuster

Opposition deputies were outraged and promised lengthy speeches. “Expect that nothing at all will get done today,” ODS caucus leader Marek Benda told the coalition. According to him, the Chamber’s agenda used to be agreed on the basis of priorities and the laws that need to be passed before the end of the year. Fiala, on behalf of the coalition, also blocked the inclusion of a new item pushed by minister and Motorists caucus chair Boris Stastny.

TOP 09 caucus leader Jan Jakob demanded a break for his caucus to confer. Chamber Speaker Tomio Okamura replied: “We don’t need to consult.” The break did take place, and representatives of the opposition caucuses agreed on their next steps.

ODS chairman Martin Kupka and Benda called the coalition’s actions “a dirty trick.” “We will do everything to stop their voting steamroller. It may not work, of course,” Benda said. Kupka added that the opposition will defend public service media, and recalled the results of the recent municipal and Senate elections. Pirate leader Zdenek Hrib called the move government revenge for a failed election. Deputy Andrea Hoffmannova said the opposition is acting in a coordinated way and is in contact with the European Commission, while Ivan Bartos promised that “the length of the speeches will match the seriousness of the topic.”

Saturday sittings are nothing new

Parliament does not usually work on Saturdays, but this is not unique for the Chamber of Deputies. The last time was on March 4, 2023, when a smaller extraordinary pension indexation was adopted after a many-hour opposition filibuster that stretched through the night. On July 14, 2012, after overnight talks, the Chamber approved the law on property settlement between the state and the churches. And in November 2011, a six-day filibuster by the then left-wing opposition ended on Sunday evening, but did not prevent the passage of the government’s health care and social reforms.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by seznamzpravy.cz