Czech President Pavel Criticizes Slovakia's Public Media Funding Change

Czech President Petr Pavel has voiced opposition to Slovakia's decision to change the funding model for its public media. Pavel said he does not understand why the Slovak government chose to take such a step. Slovakia recently moved to overhaul how its public broadcasters — RTVS, the country's public radio and television service — are financed, shifting away from a system of household licence fees toward direct state budget funding. Critics, including media freedom advocates and opposition politicians, have warned that the change gives the government greater influence over public broadcasters by making them financially dependent on the state. The reform has drawn concern both domestically and internationally, with observers arguing it poses a threat to editorial independence. Pavel's comments add a notable voice to that chorus, reflecting broader unease in Central Europe about the trajectory of media freedom in Slovakia under Prime Minister Robert Fico's government, which returned to power in 2023 on a platform critical of what it described as biased media coverage.