European Union politicians said they are continuing their push into possible support for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) after the US government moved to cut the Prague-based broadcaster's funding amid concerns its closure would be a blow to pro-democracy media.
An article by Rikard Jozwiak posted on RFE/RL’s website says Czech European Affairs Minister Martin Dvorak told reporters in Brussels on March 18 that several nations have supported the initiative so far but the bloc must act quickly as “it would be a big mistake to let this institution die.”
“We must initiate some interest and meet with commissioners and some states. At this point, that initiative has been supported by seven other nations, and after we make the initiative public at the General Affairs Council, more countries will join us," Dvorak said, adding the issue needs to be resolved in a matter of "several weeks.”
At the initiative of the Czech Republic, a meeting of foreign ministers from the bloc's 27 members on March 17 addressed the issue with the future of RFE/RL unclear due to the cutting of its Congress-approved funding by the administration of President Donald Trump over the weekend.
Diplomatic sources reportedly told RFE/RL that Germany, Austria, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Slovenia, Poland, the Czech Republic, and the three Baltic nations are among those who support the initiative.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said after the March 17 foreign ministers meeting that he sensed “a certain interest” from other EU members in his country's initiative, and that “it is our responsibility to seriously deal with this issue.”
Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski also voiced support for RFE/RL, recalling how his father listened to the station as well as the Voice of America (VOA) broadcaster during the Cold War.
US President Trump signed an executive order late on March 14 that aims to reduce seven federal agencies — including the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees RFE/RL and other federal broadcasters.
Hours after the executive order was published, a letter from USAGM said the Congress-approved grant that funds RFE/RL had been terminated.
RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said canceling the grant agreement would be “a massive gift to America's enemies,” a point that was echoed by many media rights watchdogs, democracy advocates, and politicians.
The Prague-based RFE/RL operates in 23 countries and 27 languages across Central and Eastern Europe, the Near East, and Central Asia.
Launched in 1953, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, operates out of a bureau in Dushanbe and reports in Tajik and Russian.
Radio Ozodi is a trusted source of local news, attracting audiences with compelling reporting on issues not otherwise covered by Tajikistan’s state-run media.
