Vladimír Železný

Broadcasting in 1968 at age 23, Vladimír Železný captured footage of Russian tanks occupying Prague during the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia. This early defiance preceded a long career spanning journalism, media ownership, and politics. Over the following decades, his influence within the Czech Republic fluctuated between television innovation, international legal battles, and parliamentary service.

Television and Media Entrepreneurship

In 1993, Železný applied for a license to operate a private television channel alongside five others. He secured a €140m investment from the American firm Central European Media Enterprises (CME). Due to strict regulations against foreign ownership, the license was granted to CET21, a company under Železný's control. Legal assistance from Miroslav Šipovič facilitated a licensing agreement with a joint venture linked to CME. TV NOVA launched in February 1994, quickly becoming the nation's most popular network. In 1999, CET21 terminated the licensing agreement, seizing control and rendering CME's initial investment effectively worthless. This move triggered roughly 20 lawsuits across various courts and international tribunals, including UNCITRAL proceedings in Stockholm and London involving Ronald Lauder. The Stockholm tribunal eventually found the Czech Republic liable for failing to protect the investment, resulting in $270 million in damages paid via taxpayer funds. Under a separate award, Železný was ordered to pay $23 million in damages.

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Legislative and Political Tenure

Železný transitioned into politics in 2002 by winning a seat in the Czech Senate for the Znojmo circuit. Analysts speculated he sought the position primarily to obtain parliamentary immunity during ongoing legal proceedings. In 2004, he secured a mandate in the European Parliament, where he served until 2009. While working in Brussels and Strasbourg, he developed a platform defined by vocal euroscepticism, describing the European Union as an over-regulated environment reminiscent of the communist era. He founded the party Nezávislí demokraté in 2005, serving as its chairman until 2015, and later launched Libertas.cz in 2009. His bid for the Chamber of Deputies in 2006 proved unsuccessful.

Legal Proceedings and Criminal Convictions

The business disputes surrounding TV NOVA led to prolonged criminal investigations. In 2001, authorities arrested Železný on charges related to tax evasion and defrauding creditors. The Czech Senate voted to lift his parliamentary immunity in 2003 to facilitate further investigation, a move matched by the European Parliament in 2005. While he was acquitted of several charges, including a 2011 acquittal by the High Court in Prague regarding property transfers, he faced a definitive guilty verdict in 2007. The court found him guilty of tax evasion related to the importation of paintings in 1998, resulting in a fine of €250,000 and a two-year suspended jail sentence with a two-year probation period.

Recent Career

Beyond his tenure at CET21 and his political appointments, Železný maintained a presence in the Czech media landscape. Between November 2013 and March 2014, he held the position of CEO at TV Barrandov. Throughout his career, he has been a member of the Czech Film and Television Academy and has worked as an opinion journalist, writer, and photographer.