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GC GRAPEVINE WWW.GCGRAPEVINE.COM
NEWS HDHKLMBM
Media power grab raises legal concerns in the Czech Republic C./$8I/-.$@/2,?!)-J($(/-<*1$&)-./(0$'"*$)($*<#$0./$%*"*-/$')*)(0/&5$?,0$ his media purchasing spree is raising political and antitrust questions DANIEL BARDSLEY Daniel Bardsley is a Prague-based journalist. He can be reached at news@ gcgrapevine.com
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54#)2%.'1')!*+%!5?')% -9%!"'%.'#)$%5$%!"'% A:'1"%]'9-;*#1_$% ()5)1'%/#)#$!'.%5)&% &'9-!+%9.#/'%/#)#$!'.=%<)&.'>%Z5;#l%#$%*#?'*+%!,%;'% *,,?#)2%5!%85+$%!,%$!#/-*5!'%5)% '1,),/+%-)!#*%.'1')!*+%/#.'&%#)% .'1'$$#,)=%8"#*'%5*$,%;5*5)1#)2%!"'% ;-&2'!%5)&%1,/;5!#)2%!50%3.5-&6 m'!%5$%8'**%5$%;'#)2%5%/#)#$!'.=% !"#$%J*,45?G;,.)%XjG+'5.G,*&%#$%5% ;#**#,)5#.'%;-$#)'$$/5)=%5)&%"#$% COURTESY PHOTO .'1')!%$9')&#)2%$9.''%"5$%;'')% Among its media interests, Mafra publishes $95.?#)2%1,)1'.)$6 two of the country's best selling dalies: D"'%A:'1"%]'9-;*#1_$%$'1Mladá fronta Dnes and Lidové noviny. ,)&G.#1"'$!%/5)=%!"5)?$%!,%"#$% H54'*6 <2.,3'.!%'/9#.'%,3%5.,-)&%iWW% K7%!"#)?%!"5!%#!_$%),%1,#)1#&')1'% 1,/95)#'$=%Z5;#l%"5$%,4'.%!"'%95$!% "'%qZ5;#lr%51a-#.'&%$,/'%,3%!"'% +'5.%;'1,/'%5%/'&#5%/,2-*=%5)&% /'&#5%5!%!"'%$5/'%!#/'%"'%85$% 85$%.'1')!*+%)5/'&%;+%C,.;'$%5$% .-))#)2%3,.%,3(1'6L !"'%/,$!%9,8'.3-*%(2-.'%#)%!"'% <$#&'%3.,/%&#$a-#'!%,4'.%!"'% A:'1"%/'&#5%#)&-$!.+6%J,/'%)'8$959'.$%"54'%8,)&'.'&%8"'!"'.%!"'% 9,!')!#5*%3,.%Z5;#l_$%/5..#52'%,3% 1,-)!.+%"5$%$'')%!"'%'/'.2')1'%,3% /'&#5%5)&%9,*#!#1$%!,%-)&'./#)'% &'/,1.5!#1%511,-)!5;#*#!+=%!"'.'% 5%*,15*%J#*4#,%Z'.*-$1,)#6 #$%!"'%#$$-'%,3%8"'!"'.%"#$%)'8% K<)+%;#2%1,)1')!.5!#,)%,3%9,*#!#/#)#G'/9#.'%!".'5!')$%1,/9'!#15*=%'1,),/#1%5)&%/'&#5%9,8'.%#$% .#$?+=%5$%8'%?),8%3.,/%,!"'.%1,-)- !#,)6 I)!#*%*5$!%+'5.=%Z5;#l_$%/'&#5% !.#'$%8"'.'%#!_$%"599')'&=L%$5+$%n#op% B'"'=%5%A:'1"%9,*#!#15*%5)5*+$!%5)&% #)!'.'$!$%8'.'%/,&'$!=%1,)$#$!#)2% ,3%5%$/5**%&5#*+%3.''%)'8$959'.=% 3,./'.%5&4#$,.%!,%!"'%*5!'%[g1*54%
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I think that it’s no coincidence he [Babiš] acquired some of the media at the same time he was running for office. 6789%:;/;
Czech political analyst and former advisor to Václav Havel
Bab< holds a press conference in his more-recent role as finance minister/deputy prime minister. CZECH FINANCE MINISRTY
&,/#)5)!%5%9,$#!#,)6 M"#*'%!"'.'%15)%;'%&'*5+$%,4'.% 8"5!%/5!'.#5*%#$%1,//'.1#5**+% 1,)(&')!#5*%5)&%$",-*&%),!%;'% 9-;*#$"'&=%!"'%tFHJ%#)$#$!$%5**% &'1#$#,)$%5)&%!"'%.'5$,)$%;'"#)&% !"'/%5.'%9-;*#$"'&6 <$%<2.,3'.!%1,)!#)-'$%#!$%/'&#5% ;-+-9$=%$,/'%/5+%8,)&'.%#3% !"'%1,/9'!#!#,)%5-!",.#!#'$%8#**% .'/5#)%$!'5&35$!%#)%599*+#)2%!"'% .-*'$%8"')%9.,9,$'&%!5?',4'.$% 1,/'%3.,/%$,/',)'%),8%,9'.5!#)2% 5!%!"'%"#2"'$!%*'4'*$%8#!"#)%2,4'.)/')!6%D"'%,3(1'%#!$'*3%#)$#$!$%!"'% ()5)1'%/#)#$!'.%2'!$%),%$9'1#5*% !.'5!/')!%5)&%#!%K$!.#1!*+%/5#)!5#)$% 5)%'a-5*%599.,51"6L KM'%"54'%!,%.'9'5!%525#)%!"5!% !"'%F3(1'_$%599.,51"%!,%<2.,3'.!% /'.2'.$%#$%'051!*+%!"'%$5/'%5$%!"'% 599.,51"%!,%5)+%,!"'.%1,/95)+=L% $5#&%u45)&56 !"DANIEL BARDSLEY Daniel Bardsley is a Prague-based journalist. He can be reached at news@gcgrapevine.com