Fight for Radio Free Europe: EU ensures support despite cuts!

Fight for Radio Free Europe: EU ensures support despite cuts!

Prag, Tschechien - Ursula von der Leyen commented on March 26, 2025 about the future of the broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). In a recently published explanation, she commented on the critical situation in which the broadcaster is located under President Donald Trump due to drastic medium-cuts. Although initially not announced any specific measures to support RFE/RL, there are several European countries, including the Czech Republic, in exchange about possible solutions to secure the operation of the transmitter.

The closure of RFE/RL, which is considered a serious threat, has been averted for the time being. A district court in Washington issued an injunction that ensures the operation of the transmitter until a final decision. The judge noticed that a closure could cause "non -resolution damage". In addition, RFE/RL has filed a lawsuit against the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). The broadcaster argues that the withholding of funds is illegal and unconstitutional because these funds have been approved in the US Congress. A judgment in this matter is expected in the coming weeks.

The role of RFE/RL in Europe

rfe/rl produces and spreads TV and radio programs in different languages, including Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian, from his radio house in Prague. The broadcaster has long been a thorn in the eye of the Russian leadership, which has classified him as a "undesirable organization". In the context of the European media landscape, RFE/RL plays an important role by providing information that is often not covered by state media in the affected countries.

The media landscape in Europe is diverse and is shaped by different media systems that depend on the respective media policy. Historically, there are various challenges in different countries that influence press and media freedom. Countries like Germany show a strong regional media engagement, while centralistic systems, as in France, are often shaped by a dominant capital press. These differences are also reflected in access to online media, where Scandinavia has a higher user prevalence.

The autocratic governments, on the other hand,, like in Russia and China, exercise strict control over the media, which leads to a highly restricted media freedom. This situation leads to an urgent need for independent news sources such as RFE/RL, especially in regions where the freedom of the press is at risk. Yesterday's discussion about the support of the broadcaster could therefore play a crucial role in media freedom in Europe.