Czech Government Plans to Abolish Public Broadcaster License Fees, Raising Press Freedom Concerns

The Czech coalition government plans to submit legislation scrapping public TV and radio license fees for select groups in 2026, with full abolition targeted for 2027. House Speaker Tomio Okamura confirmed the plans. The move has sparked concerns about funding predictability and editorial independence of Czech public broadcasters, coming weeks after 200,000+ Czechs rallied at Letna Park against what organizers described as the Babis government's democratic backsliding and erosion of press freedom.