Prague, May 12 (CTK) – Most Czech politicians are opposed to President Milos Zeman’s suggestion that Czech Television’s (CT) public corporation status be changed to a state institution, they said yesterday, while CT Council head Jan Bednar protested against Zeman’s assertion that CT is a mouthpiece of the TOP 09 party.
The politicians were reacting to Zeman’s statements that the server Parlamentni listy published on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) has warned against the proposal to nationalise CT,
“The oligarchisation of media has been progressing. Public media must keep their guarantee of independence, they must not succumb either to the government or business groups,” Sobotka wrote on Twitter.
Lower house election committee chairman Martin Komarek (ANO) said it is not up to either politicians or president to assess CT.
If a proposal to “nationalise CT” were discussed, Komarek would be opposed to it, he told CTK.
“Let CT remain a public corporation. A state television is something I really would not like to see any more. I experienced this in the past and it was not good,” Komarek said, alluding to the communist state-controlled media before 1989.
Interior Minister Milan Chovanec (Social Democrats, CSSD) said he considers the present status of CT convenient.
“The media must be independent to a certain extent. I will not support this [Zeman’s] proposal,” Chovanec said.
Similarly, government Christian Democrat (KDU-CSL) deputy chairman Jan Bartosek said there is not reason to change CT’s status.
Former lower house chairwoman Miroslava Nemcova (opposition Civic Democrats, ODS) said Zeman’s statement was another of his provocations.
Opposition Communist (KSCM) chairman Vojtech Filip said CT, as a public corporation, operates under the relevant law.
“Of course, it is up to lawmakers to amend the law. It is true that the [licence holders’] fees are a latent tax and that CT has been financed from public money,” Filip said.
If CT were financed by satisfied viewers only, it would definitely prefer being financed from the state budget, KSCM deputy Vladimir Konicek said with irony.
CSSD deputy and former culture minister Vitezslav Jandak said the model of a state television is common in Europe and that he considers Zeman’s opinion legitimate.
“Nevertheless, this is a matter for the Chamber of Deputies, not the president, to decide on,” Jandak said.
Bednar said CT is not a mouthpiece of TOP 09, the rightist opposition party.
TOP 09 occupied 8 percent of CT’s newscasts last year, compared to ten and nine percent it occupied in the newscasts of the main commercial stations, Nova and Prima, respectively.
The biggest shares in CT’s newscasts were those of the two main ruling parties, the CSSD (about one third) and ANO (about one fourth).
Zeman has repeatedly criticised CT for distorting information.
His opinion that CT should be financed from the state budget is shared by Finance Minister and ANO chairman Andrej Babis.
If it came true, Babis, a billionaire owner of some media, would also influence, in his capacity as finance minister, CT which though he does not own it, the critics of the idea say.
Czech Radio (CRo) reported yesterday that Zeman wants to discuss the issue with Babis.
rtj/dr/pv
