On October 25, thousands of people protested in Prague’s Old Town Square against the government’s plan to abolish mandatory contributions for television and radio. A similar demonstration took place in Brno on October 24, where approximately 4,000 individuals gathered in support of CT and CRo.
Employees of CT and CRo announced a strike scheduled for November 3 as tensions with the Chamber of Deputies over the reform escalated. Opponents of the policy have vowed to challenge the ruling coalition’s decision—which passed the bill in its first reading—before both the Constitutional Court and the European Commission.
Eva Kropachova, a spokeswoman for Czech law enforcement agencies, reported that protests began on October 23 when demonstrators attempted to enter the Chamber of Deputies building. The protesters carried national flags and displayed posters with slogans: “The Czech Republic is here, the Czech Republic is ours” and “We will not give up the media.”
