The Czech Republic is seeking support in Brussels to ensure continued funding for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), whose operations are threatened by the Trump administration’s foreign aid cuts. European Affairs Minister Martin Dvorak said today that seven countries have already backed the Czech initiative.
Dvorak will present the Czech initiative at today’s meeting of EU European Affairs ministers. Prague expects other countries to join the initiative after the meeting.
“The initiative is drawing attention to the difficult situation after the United States stopped funding Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty,” said Dvorak. “We believe that it is an extremely important and functioning source of independent information to those countries that do not have democracy and free media at the moment. We think it would be a great pity to let this institution die.”
In addition to negotiations with individual states, the Czech delegation is also in communication with representatives of the European Commission, including talks between Dvorak and EU Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin.
“Commissioner Serafin has indicated a strong accommodating approach, which I find very pleasant,” Dvorak told Czech journalists. “He has not yet indicated the resources that could be used, but this will be the subject of negotiations. I think it will not only be his responsibility. I am also relying a bit on Jozef Sikela, because this matter could also be partly financed from his area of responsibility.” Sikela is the Czech Commissioner for International Partnerships.
However, Dvorak admitted that the best solution would be if the United States decided not to cancel the funding. “So we will at the same time try to convince the U.S. and the Trump administration to reconsider this step. Maybe the result will be some compromise for us to take over part of the funding at the European level,” he said.
Dvorak added that the situation cannot be entirely resolved instantly, as it involves a number of buildings, assets, employees, but a solution must be reached within a few weeks.
At a meeting in Brussels on Monday, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky also mentioned the possibility of buying the radio station.
Dvorak supports this option, but acknowledged that the problem is money. “You would have to ask the Finance Ministry. I am afraid that it is a sum that is probably difficult to negotiate at the moment. We know the situation we are in, but I say again, we want to start a debate about the fact that we must not let Radio Free Europe fall and that we must find some way out,” he added.
The Czech Republic is backed by the Baltic states and some Western European countries in the RFE/RL issue, and also has support from Poland, which however wishes to remain neutral as it is currently holding the current EU presidency, Dvorak said.
He also mentioned that he would like Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala to raise the issue at the upcoming EU summit, starting on Thursday. “But for the time being, I haven’t had a chance to talk to him about it,” he added.
