On Our Radar

Czechia & Slovenia

29 May 2026

On Our Radar this week: the funding of public media in both Czechia and Slovenia are under threat, as both governments look to make replace the licence fee models with direct budget funding. 

On Our Radar this week…

PMA is alarmed at developments in the Czech Republic, where public media institutions are facing a two-front assault on their financial foundations. The Babiš coalition government has tabled legislation that would see licence fee funding for Czech Television (ČT) and Czech Radio (ČRo) shifted to the state budget from 2027, cutting their combined income by about 1.4 billion crowns (US$ 67 million) against current budgets. At the same time, a parliamentary amendment was introduced, with just one day’s notice, by deputies from ANO and SPD, seeking to expand licence fee concessions to households with seniors over 75, disability pass holders, dependent children, and businesses with up to 50 employees. Both proposals will have the same impact: the weakening of the financial sustainability and security that underpins public media’s editorial independence. ČT estimates the senior exemption alone would reduce its budget by around one billion crowns (US$48 million) while ČRo projects a further loss of 250 to 300 million crowns annually (US$12-14 million). Both broadcasters have warned that the changes would make stable and predictable financing impossible, and that mid-year implementation would likely put them in conflict with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). We call on the Czech government to halt both tracks of this legislation, to engage in genuine consultation with the broadcasters and civil society, and to ensure that any reform of public media financing fully honours the Czech Republic’s obligations under EMFA. Read more via MediaGuru. 

And in Slovenia, the return of Prime Minister Janez Janša brings renewed concern for the future of RTV Slovenija. Janša, whose previous government was criticised for interfering in public broadcasting, was confirmed as Prime Minister in May 2026 following his party’s election victory in March. His new coalition agreement includes plans to amend the RTV Act, with the stated goal of creating “a modern, professional and impartial” broadcaster. At the same time, the plan also proposes the abolition of the RTV licence fee and shifting the broadcaster to full state budget financing. A legislative proposal along those lines, tabled by the Resnica party (a government-supporting party, but not officially in the coalition), is already before parliament. Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar has publicly raised the alarm, warning that state funding of RTV could, in effect, turn the broadcaster into to a state-controlled broadcaster.

In both countries, the shift from an independent licence fee income to the government budget is being presented as reform or as relief for citizens, when in practice it could expose public broadcasters to direct political leverage over their finances. The licence fee model, however imperfect, creates distance between broadcaster and government, while budget dependency closes that distance entirely. Any alternative funding model must preserve the independence of public media. We call on the new Slovenian government to preserve the independence frameworks, to commit to an independent financing model, and to ensure any planned changes to public media governance are made in full compliance with EMFA. Read more via 24Ur.

PMA Advocacy Team