Macinka: Czech TV and radio licence fee will be abolished

Minister Macinka, who represents the smallest party in the government, said the abolition of fees for Czech Television and Czech Radio is final. In his words, it is “a thousand percent” certain, and only the form of the bill can be discussed. Finance Minister Alena Šilerová disagrees with him on the timing.

“The fees will end, there will be no more changes, and it will not be a subject of debate,” Macinka said. He added that everyone should finally understand this. Unlike its coalition partners, Macinka’s party did not put the abolition of licence fees in its election manifesto, but he believes the funding system should be changed on the principle of “the sooner, the better”.

Šilerová: the debate will be long

Finance Minister Alena Šilerová (ANO) noted that the time for discussion between readings of the bill has not been shortened, so its final shape can still be argued over. “The debate will definitely be long,” she believes. Šilerová also ruled out the change taking effect on 1 January 2027.

Macinka stressed that the dispute is about funding, not media independence. He cannot imagine that changing the model would allow anyone to influence Czech Television: “That is definitely not in our interest,” the minister said.

Protests outside the Chamber of Deputies

On Friday, doubts about the government’s declared intention not to interfere with broadcast content were raised by Tomio Okamura, chairman of the coalition party SPD. During the debate in the Chamber of Deputies, he called it immoral to pay for something he does not use and which, in his view, works against the interests of his country and people.

Macinka called Friday’s events outside the parliament walls inadequate. According to him, organised activists are lying to people, and the result is “strange characters with cobblestones in their hands”. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš compared the protests to the attack on the Capitol in 2021. Macinka added that some opponents should admit their election defeat, while the coalition wants to get to work.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz