Senator and TV Nova CEO Vladimir Zelezny made his first comment on Saturday on the lost arbitration case in Stockholm that is to cost Czech taxpayers over CZK 10 bln. Zelezny warned against seeking a culprit in the matter, but pointed to the Stockholm judges who “decided to ignore the Czech law“.

Previously, Finance Minister Bohuslav Sobotka blamed the Broadcasting Council (RRTV), adding that TV Nova is morally responsible for the hefty damages imposed on the Czech state. The Czech public also blames Zelezny and his TV station: In a SC&C poll, 42% of respondents described Zelezny as the culprit and 61% said Nova should pay the debt.

On Wednesday, the cabinet approved an amendment to the budget law that will raise the current deficit by CZK 10.6 bln, to be paid to U.S. investor CME. Hana Marvanova (US-DEU), member of the parliamentary media commission, has proposed that the RRTV change license terms of TV Nova in case the station declines to share in paying out the damages.

(PBJ 24.iii.03)