Czech version below
Representatives from the International Press Institute (IPI) and European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) travelled to Prague on Wednesday June 15 to meet with officials from the Ministry of Culture and push for the development of reforms which strengthen the independence of the country鈥檚 public broadcaster.
During the one-day visit, the delegation met with journalists and editors from independent media, representatives from the Endowment Fund for Independent Journalism (NFNZ), the director general of the Czech Television Petr Dvo艡谩k, and representatives from the Ministry of Culture under the new coalition government of Petr Fiala.
Discussions centred around the preparation of draft amendments aimed at creating additional safeguards to protect the institutional and editorial independence of Czech Television, which faced under the former government led by Andrej Babi拧.
During the meeting with the Ministry, it was confirmed to the delegation that progress had been made in negotiations regarding the amendments and that the cabinet is due to discuss a re-worked package of reforms this week, June 20-24.
The new package contains only a handful of the amendments initially proposed by civil society groups including the NFNZ and IPI CZ and which were by the organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR). According to information provided to the delegation, the revised amendments will include:
–聽 聽 聽 聽 Changing the law so that both chambers of parliament, rather than just the Chamber of Deputies, will be involved in appointments to the Czech Television Council. This more staggered system is intended to make it more difficult for a government to use a parliamentary majority to overly politicise the composition of the council;
– 聽 聽 聽 聽 Tightening the rules for who can nominate candidates for the CT Council. Under the proposed amendment, only established institutions with 10 years of experience in the fields such as media, culture or human rights would be permitted to nominate candidates;
– 聽 聽 聽 聽 Removing the ability of parliament to reject the annual report of the public broadcaster, eliminating the ability of the parliament to twice reject the report and subsequently dismiss the entire CT Council;
– 聽 聽 聽 聽 Increasing the number of councillors on the CT Council from 15 to 18. Under the draft, the Senate would vote for six and the Chamber of Deputies will appoint the other 12. A qualified majority of 10 would be needed to appoint and dismiss the director general.
As part of the initial reform package developed by the Ministry of Culture, when the amendments entered into force the entire CT Council would have been dismissed and elections would have been held under the new appointment system. However, the Legislative Council of the Government raised concerns about the legality of the move and a compromise was required, causing significant delays while coalition parties negotiated an alternative.
Under the rewritten plans, the number of councillors will instead be increased by three. In another shift, the Chamber of Deputies would elect two thirds of the councillors rather than the original proposed 50:50 split between the Chamber and the Senate.
If approved by the cabinet in June, the draft amendment would then need approval from the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate before being signed into law.
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鈥淚t is uplifting to finally see progress made on the preparation of a new draft. While this new package contains only a fraction of the initial proposals, if passed these amendments would still have a significant impact and create additional safeguards against future attempts to undermine the independence of Czech Television鈥�, said IPI Deputy Director Scott Griffen, who participated in the visit. 鈥淲e urge the cabinet to swiftly approve this first package of reforms and send the package to parliament for a vote. It is vital that early momentum of improving the landscape for media freedom is not lost.
鈥淗owever, this should be seen as a first step in a wider process of reform 鈥� one which must urgently include the provision of sustainable financing for Czech Television. The Czech public broadcaster has been, and remains, a standard bearer for other public service media in the region. Shoring up its financial stability and passing amendments which help future-proof the institution against political attacks would provide a much-needed example of resilience in central and eastern Europe. Our organisations will continue to closely follow the legislative process and push for additional needed improvements for media freedom in the coming months.鈥�
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During the meeting at the Ministry, the delegation was also informed that a working group is due to be established to discuss a second package of reforms to the Act on Czech Television and Czech Radio. This would include the proposal to legislate for automatic increases in the licence fee in line with inflation, as well as greater judicial oversight over dismissals of councillors and the creation of professional criteria for those seeking election to the CT Council. IPI strongly urged that this working group include independent national and international experts.
Coming in the wake of an about forced cuts to budgets and staff numbers, a solution to the unsustainable financial situation at Czech Television is viewed by the delegation as essential in the coming months. In total, the broadcaster will be forced to cut 910 million crowns (鈧�36.8 million) by 2024 and intends to axe its newest channel, 膶T3. The license fee has not increased since 2008.
During the visit of the delegation to Prague, the delayed election for the CT Council was also held. After the governing coalition passed a motion for the vote to be made public, the opposition party boycotted the vote. Five new councillors were appointed, all of whom have suitable professional qualifications and expertise.
膶esk谩 republika: MFRR vol谩 po reform谩ch, kter茅 by pos铆lily nez谩vislost ve艡ejnopr谩vn铆 televize
Z谩stupci Mezin谩rodn铆ho tiskov茅ho institutu (IPI) a Evropsk茅ho centra pro svobodu tisku a m茅di铆 (ECPMF) p艡icestovali ve st艡edu 15. 膷ervna do Prahy na setk谩n铆 s聽p艡edstaviteli Ministerstva kultury, aby se zasadili o pokrok reforem, kter茅 by pos铆lily nez谩vislost 膷esk茅 ve艡ejnopr谩vn铆 televize.
B臎hem jednodenn铆 n谩v拧t臎vy se delegace setkala s聽novin谩艡i a redaktory z聽nez谩visl媒ch m茅di铆, p艡edstaviteli Nada膷n铆ho fondu nez谩visl茅 啪urnalistiky (NFNZ), gener谩ln铆m 艡editelem 膶esk茅 televize Petrem Dvo艡谩kem a s聽p艡edstaviteli Ministerstva kultury nov茅 koali膷n铆 vl谩dy Petra Fialy.
Rozhovory se soust艡edily na p艡铆pravu novely z谩kona, je啪 by p艡inesla dal拧铆 pojistky institucion谩ln铆 i redak膷n铆 nez谩vislosti 膶esk茅 televize, kter谩 byla vystavena soustavn茅mu tlaku za p艡edchoz铆 膷esk茅 vl谩dy Andreje Babi拧e.
Z谩stupci ministerstva na sch暖zce ujistili delegaci o pokroku jedn谩n铆 o novele a sd臎lili, 啪e vl谩da projedn谩 p艡epracovan媒 bal铆膷ek reforem tento t媒den, tedy od 20. do 24. 膷ervna.
Nov媒 bal铆膷ek obsahuje pouze n臎kolik z 煤prav p暖vodn臎 navrhovan媒ch ob膷ansk媒mi skupinami a organizacemi, v膷etn臎 NFNZ a IPI CZ. Tyto n谩vrhy podporovaly tak茅 organizace zapojen茅 do projektu Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR). Podle informac铆 poskytnut媒ch delegaci by revidovan谩 novela m臎la zahrnovat n谩sleduj铆c铆:
鈥撀燴m臎nu z谩kona tak, aby byly do volby Rady 膶esk茅 televize zapojeny ob臎 komory parlamentu, tedy nov臎 nikoli pouze Poslaneck谩 sn臎movna. V臎t拧铆 rozlo啪en铆 pravomoc铆 by m臎lo vl谩d臎 膷i parlamentn铆 v臎t拧in臎 znesnadnit p艡铆padn茅 politick茅 z谩sahy do slo啪en铆 rady;
鈥� 聽P艡铆sn臎j拧铆 pravidla pro navrhovatele kandid谩t暖 do Rady 膶T. Dle navrhovan茅 novely by kandid谩ty mohly nominovat pouze zaveden茅 instituce po minim谩ln臎 10 letech p暖soben铆 v聽oblasti m茅di铆, kultury nebo lidsk媒ch pr谩v;
鈥� Zru拧en铆 pr谩va parlamentu odm铆tnout v媒ro膷n铆 zpr谩vu ve艡ejnopr谩vn铆 televize. T铆m se eliminuje mo啪nost, 啪e by parlament dvakr谩t odm铆tl v媒ro膷n铆 zpr谩vu a t铆m odvolal celou Radu 膶T;
鈥� Zv媒拧en铆 po膷tu 膷len暖 Rady 膶T z 15 na 18. Podle nov茅ho n谩vrhu by 拧est 膷len暖 rady volil Sen谩t a zbyl媒ch 12 膷len暖 by ur膷ila Poslaneck谩 sn臎movna. Ke jmenov谩n铆 nebo odvol谩n铆 gener谩ln铆ho 艡editele 膶T by pak byla nutn谩 kvalifikovan谩 v臎t拧ina deseti hlas暖.
Podle 煤vodn铆ho reformn铆ho bal铆膷ku p艡edstaven茅ho Ministerstvem kultury by po vstoupen铆 novely v聽platnost do拧lo k聽odvol谩n铆 cel茅 Rady 膶T a k n谩sledn媒m volb谩m podle nov茅ho syst茅mu. Legislativn铆 rada vl谩dy v拧ak vyslovila obavy, zda by m臎l takov媒 krok oporu v聽z谩kon臎, a vy啪谩dala si kompromis, tak啪e do拧lo ke zna膷n茅mu zdr啪en铆, proto啪e koali膷n铆 strany se musely dohodnout na alternativn铆m 艡e拧en铆.
Podle upraven茅ho pl谩nu by se po膷et radn铆ch zv媒拧il o t艡i. Poslaneck谩 sn臎movna by pak volila dv臎 t艡etiny radn铆ch, nam铆sto p暖vodn臎 navrhovan茅ho rovnom臎rn茅ho rozd臎len铆 volby radn铆ch mezi Poslaneckou sn臎movnu a Sen谩t.
Pokud vl谩da novelu v聽膷ervnu schv谩l铆, p暖jde n谩vrh k聽projedn谩n铆 do Poslaneck茅 sn臎movny a n谩sledn臎 do Sen谩tu, aby se pak novela po podpisu Prezidenta republiky stala sou膷谩st铆 膷esk茅ho pr谩va.
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鈥濲e povzbuzuj铆c铆 vid臎t kone膷n臎 pokrok v聽p艡铆prav臎 t茅to novely z谩kona. Nov媒 bal铆膷ek sice obsahuje jen zlomek p暖vodn臎 navrhovan媒ch zm臎n, ale pokud bude schv谩len, budou m铆t tyto 煤pravy i tak z谩sadn铆 vliv a vytvo艡铆 nov茅 pojistky proti p艡铆padn媒m budouc铆m pokus暖m o podlomen铆 nez谩vislosti 膶esk茅 televize鈥�, 艡ekl z谩stupce 艡editele IPI Scott Griffen, kter媒 se n谩v拧t臎vy 煤膷astnil. 鈥濾yz媒v谩me kabinet, aby tento bal铆膷ek reforem co nejrychleji schv谩lil a poslal jej k聽projedn谩n铆 do parlamentu. Je z谩sadn铆, aby se nevytratilo toto po膷谩te膷n铆 odhodl谩n铆 ke zlep拧ov谩n铆 podm铆nek pro svobodu m茅di铆.鈥�
鈥濼oto by ov拧em rozhodn臎 m臎l b媒t pouze prvn铆 krok v聽del拧铆m procesu reforem, kter媒 mus铆 tak茅 urychlen臎 zajistit udr啪iteln媒 syst茅m financov谩n铆 膶esk茅 televize. 膶esk谩 ve艡ejnopr谩vn铆 televize dlouhodob臎 ukazuje cestu ostatn铆m ve艡ejnopr谩vn铆m m茅di铆m v聽cel茅m regionu. Zaji拧t臎n铆 finan膷n铆 stability t茅to instituce a prosazen铆 novely, kter谩 ji v聽budoucnosti ochr谩n铆 proti p艡铆padn媒m politick媒m 煤tok暖m, by vytvo艡ilo velmi p艡铆nosn媒 p艡铆klad odolnosti ve艡ejnopr谩vn铆 instituce ve st艡edn铆 a v媒chodn铆 Evrop臎. Na拧e organizace bude i v聽n谩sleduj铆c铆ch m臎s铆c铆ch nad谩le pozorn臎 sledovat tento legislativn铆 proces a prosazovat dal拧铆 pot艡ebn茅 煤pravy vedouc铆 k vy拧拧铆 svobod臎 m茅di铆.鈥�
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B臎hem sch暖zky na ministerstvu dostala delegace tak茅 informaci o pl谩nu sestavit pracovn铆 skupinu, kter谩 by projednala druh媒 bal铆膷ek 煤prav z谩kona o 膶esk茅 televizi a z谩kona o 膶esk茅m rozhlasu. Tento n谩vrh by m臎l zahrnovat automatickou valorizaci licen膷n铆ch poplatk暖 dle v媒voje inflace, v臎t拧铆 pr谩vn铆 dohled nad odvol谩v谩n铆m radn铆ch a ustaven铆 profesn铆ch krit茅ri铆 pro kandid谩ty na 膷lenstv铆 v聽rad臎. IPI d暖razn臎 doporu膷il, aby se jedn谩n铆 v聽r谩mci t茅to pracovn铆 skupiny 煤膷astnili nez谩visl铆 medi谩ln铆 experti z聽膶esk茅 republiky i ze zahrani膷铆.
Ve sv臎tle ned谩vn茅 o nucen媒ch 拧krtech v聽rozpo膷tu i person谩ln铆m stavu 膶esk茅 televize vn铆m谩 delegace jako z谩sadn铆 煤kol pro nadch谩zej铆c铆 m臎s铆ce nalezen铆 udr啪iteln茅ho zp暖sobu financov谩n铆 膶esk茅 televize. Celkov臎 bude ve艡ejnopr谩vn铆 televize nucena do roku 2024 se拧krtat sv暖j rozpo膷et o 910 milion暖 korun (36,8 milionu eur). V聽souvislosti s聽t铆m pl谩nuje ukon膷it vys铆l谩n铆 sv茅ho nejnov臎j拧铆ho programu 膶T3. V媒拧e licen膷n铆ch poplatk暖 se nezm臎nila od roku 2008.
B臎hem n谩v拧t臎vy delegace v聽Praze prob臎hla odlo啪en谩 volba 膷len暖 Rady 膶esk茅 televize. Pot茅, co vl谩dn铆 koalice prosadila n谩vrh, aby volba prob铆hala ve艡ejn臎, opozice volbu bojkotovala. Bylo jmenov谩no p臎t nov媒ch radn铆ch, z聽nich啪 v拧ichni maj铆 vhodnou profesn铆 kvalifikaci i zku拧enost.
Toto prohl谩拧en铆 Mezin谩rodn铆ho tiskov茅ho institutu je sou膷谩st铆 celoevropsk茅ho mechanismu 聽(MFRR), kter媒 sleduje, monitoruje a reaguje na poru拧ov谩n铆 svobody tisku a m茅di铆 v聽膷lensk媒ch st谩tech EU, v聽kandid谩tsk媒ch zem铆ch a na Ukrajin臎.
This statement by IPI is part of the聽聽(MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States, Candidate Countries, and Ukraine.
