Belgium is one of the countries endorsing a Czech initiative to save Radio Free Europe, now that US President Donald Trump wants to stop funding the American radio station.
Czechia, Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Sweden are the first ten countries to sign the initiative, according to the Czech representation to the EU on social media.
More will follow, the Polish presidency of the Council of the EU assured. The issue was discussed on Tuesday during a meeting of European Affairs ministers.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was founded in the early years of the Cold War to spread democratic values to listeners in the Eastern Bloc countries and the Soviet Union. The station, which is funded by the US Congress, has been based in Prague since the 1990s, where its field of action was expanded. According to the broadcaster, it reaches almost 50 million people every week from Russia to Iran to Afghanistan.
'Radical propaganda'
Hundreds of employees of the Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe radio stations and other organisations that receive American funding received an email last weekend informing them that they no longer have access to their offices.
The White House says it is turning off the money tap so that no more taxpayer money goes to "radical propaganda."
The ten European countries are now committing to jointly provide the necessary financial resources so that Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty can continue its work. According to La Matinale Européenne, the radio station has an annual budget of $150 million.
After the Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs, the High Representative for Foreign Policy of the European Union Kaja Kallas had already announced on Monday that the EU will look into finding money for Radio Free Europe.
