The lower house of the Czech parliament called on the new director of public Czech Television to quit early today, increasing the heavy pressure for his resignation after accusations of political bias.
"The lower house considers the immediate resignation of Jiri Hodac to be a necessary precondition for the solution of the crisis at Czech Television," the house said after a 14-hour debate. The resolution, approved by 93 votes to 63, also called on the Czech Television Council to sack Mr Hodac if he did not resign. "We are calling on the Czech Television council to dismiss Mr Hodac unless he resigns," said Mr Michal Kraus of the ruling Social Democratic party.
Staff at Czech Television (CT) have been occupying the station newsroom in Prague for two weeks in protest at last month's appointment.
They say Mr Hodac is likely to try to compromise the station's impartiality because of his close ties to the Civic Democratic Party (ODP), and its leader, former prime minister Mr Vaclav Klaus. Mr Hodac denies the charges. The opposition ODP refused to back yesterday's parliamentary motion, with party leader Mr Klaus saying it was time to "return credibility to Czech Television". "Nothing could be worse for our country than the victory of an employees' rebellion, disguised as a struggle for freedom of speech," he said, calling for the station's privatisation to ensure effective control over it. The parliament, which cannot fire Mr Hodac directly, will meet again next month to debate another proposal to replace the existing council which selected Hodac. Supporters of this proposal say the television council should not contain political appointees, as in the case at the moment, but members proposed by professional and civic groups.
Mr Hodac is in intensive care after he was found unconscious in his home on Thursday, a day after over 100,000 Czechs gathered in Prague in support of the striking journalists. He is said to be suffering from exhaustion, but the hospital says his condition improved overnight and he was fit enough to communicate with his allies at CT by yesterday evening. c is dominated by political appointees from the two main Czech parties, the ruling Social Democrats and their opposition ally, the Civic Democrats (ODS).
Political analysts in Prague yesterday suggested that the appointment of Hodac may have been a backroom deal between the minority government and the ODS party, which keeps the cabinet in power by votes in parliament. The parties have dismissed the claims. ODP party leader Mr Klaus called the strike by journalists "undemocratic" and a threat to parliamentary democracy, a charge denied by the striking journalists.
Mr Klaus's attacks make "interesting political theatre", said striking editor Mr Martin Sschmarcz, "but it is impossible for the ODP to win this fight. It's also hypocritical for Mr Klaus to call our action undemocratic." Mr Klaus and his government were forced from power three years ago after a party finance scandal. One person listed as making a substantial donation to the ODP was dead, while another knew nothing about the Czech Republic.
