Czech MPs Vote to Abolish 205-Crown TV Fee in Overnight Session

Lawmakers in the Czech Republic voted in the early hours of Saturday to abolish the 205 crown household broadcasting fee. The governing coalition moved the bill to committees for further review after an overnight session. Under the proposal, the state budget will replace the direct fee as the primary source of funding for national broadcasters.

The measure also reduces nominal funding for Czech Television and Czech Radio by approximately 15 percent. The plan stipulates that this reduced level of funding will remain unchanged for several years. Prime Minister Andrej Babis, a billionaire leading a three-party government backed by the far-right SPD, pledged to end the fee before taking office last December. He stated that the current administration is fulfilling that pledge to voters.

Babis defended the new funding model as a fairer approach for poorer households and a mechanism to force greater operational efficiency. In a Facebook post late Friday, he rejected claims that the overhaul threatens press freedom. "There is no war for independent media," he wrote. "There is no fight for democracy and no nationalisation of media is being prepared."

Opponents argue the changes risk undermining broadcaster independence. Opposition parties have compared the reform to measures implemented by Viktor Orban, the former prime minister of Hungary. Employees of the public broadcasters voiced alarm during a strike in June. They argued that linking their financing to the state budget exposes them to political pressure.

The public media sector holds a prominent position in Czech society. Czech Television ranks among the most trusted news sources in the country. It is also the most-watched broadcaster across several demographic groups. The government has frequently criticized both public and private media for their coverage of its policies, accusing some outlets of bias.

Protest efforts are continuing as the bill moves through the legislative process. A civic group has scheduled a public demonstration for Sunday. Journalists and other employees at the broadcasters have announced a new strike for November 3.

The coalition’s decision to proceed despite these objections marks a decisive step in the restructuring of Czech media financing. The shift removes a direct financial obligation from households while concentrating budgetary control within the state executive.