EU commissioner vows to use ‘all relevant tools’ to protect media freedom as Babiš public broadcasting bill alarms MEPs

Political factions in the European Parliament criticized a Czech funding reform for public media initiated by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, while far-right parties supported it. EU democracy commissioner Michael McGrath expressed commitment to media freedom but did not clarify if the new Czech law breaches EU regulations. The Czech parliament's decision to eliminate broadcasting fees in favor of state budget funding sparked nationwide protests and a significant strike by public broadcasters. Concerns were raised about potential political interference in media independence, with some MEPs arguing the reform undermines public broadcasting autonomy. Supporters of the bill claimed it aligns with practices in other EU countries.