Okamura proposes tapping the budget reserve to fund public broadcasters, raising concerns over emergency financing

In a recent interview, Tomio Okamura called for the state’s budget reserve to be used to cover the operating expenses of Česká televize and Český rozhlas. Alena Schillerová, the finance minister, explained that the reserve is a mandatory line in the general cash management system and currently stands at around 11 billion crowns. She also indicated that the two public broadcasters together require roughly 7 billion crowns each year.

Linking the media budget to the reserve would mean that most of the reserve’s resources would be consumed by the broadcasters, leaving only a limited amount for unforeseen crises such as major floods, droughts, cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure, or unexpected international obligations. The proposal therefore faces scrutiny over whether routine media costs should be treated as mandatory emergency spending.