Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has vowed to do everything in his power to ensure the continuation of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
The Prague-based broadcaster faces an uncertain future following the Trump administration’s decision to cut funding to the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the organisation responsible for overseeing RFE/RL and Voice of America.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to significantly reduce USAGM’s budget, a move justified by The White House in a statement titled ‘The Voice of Radical America’, which claimed that the decision would “ensure that taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda.”
The funding cut has triggered concerns about the weakening of independent journalism, particularly as RFE/RL continues to play a crucial role in countering misinformation originating from Russia, Iran, and other authoritarian regimes.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Fiala reaffirmed his government’s support for the broadcaster, stressing its historical significance, especially during the Cold War when it served as a source of uncensored news for those living under communist rule behind the Iron Curtain.
“We will do everything that we can to give them the chance to continue in this very important role,” Fiala stated, recalling his own experiences under communism and explaining how, as a young man, he had relied on RFE/RL as a trusted source of accurate news in a time of strong state censorship.