NGO under the microscope

W Prague has just cracked an information bubble, and the power to fire this detonation reaches far beyond the borders of the Visegrad Group. On 11 March 2026, a task was presented in the Czech Chamber of Members, which by any is called "a run for democracy", and by others a late effort to regain information sovereignty.
This is what actually happened in our confederate neighbours, and why Paris and Berlin reacted with specified a nervousness.
The Prague Spring of Sovereigns, is this the end of the “state in the state”?
The main architect of the political earthquake is Jindřich Rajchl, supported by the powerful coalition ANO Andrej Babiša and SPD Tomia Okamura. The draft law on "transparency of abroad influence" straight hits the foundations of NGO political activity.
What is the fresh regulation?
Mandatory entry in the register. Any non-governmental organisation that receives more than 15% of the budget from outside the Czech Republic and engages in "public opinion-making" must be included in a peculiar list of abroad entities.
Drastic punishment. The deficiency of registration or concealment of sources of financing threatens with a punishment of up to 15 million kronor (about PLN 2.6 million) and an immediate prohibition of activity.
No more anonymous campaigns. all promotional material, social media post or study must be clearly informed about the origin of the funds.
"We do not ban activities, we just light the light. We want to know who pays for the music that part of the voter dances to" – Rajchl thundered during the press conference, which I followed with attention.
French and German objections.
The most interesting part of this puzzle is the fast reaction of Brussels, Berlin and Paris. German media, including “Der Spiegel”, compose about “the erosion of Czech democracy”, and the French MFA expressed “deep concern”. But is it a concern about value or a fear of losing tools of influence?
I looked into the facts that mainstream is silent about.
France and the statements of president Macron, who thunders about freedom of speech, forgetting that France in 2024 adopted the "Loi visitant à prévenir les ingérences étrangères" Act on the prevention of abroad interference. The French have created a digital registry (HATVP), which monitors all show of lobbying outside the EU. They do precisely what the Czechs do, but under the name “national security”.
In Berlin, since 2025, the backing of political foundations has been strengthened. According to geopoliticist Thomas O’Donnell, NGO influences in Central Europe are an component of “soft power” that allows the implementation of the energy and economical agenda without sending diplomats.
It's a classical example of a monopoly fight. The Western powers usage NGO as a modern weapon of influence, while building protective armor at home.
Geopolitical axis: V4 changes course
Is Prague on the way to Budapest? Definitely. The Czech decision is not an isolated incident, but an component of a wider trend that I have been observing for months. Think-tank ECFR (European Council on abroad Relations) in its fresh reports indicates that the year 2026 is the minute erstwhile Central Europe yet rejects the "teaching" model and moves on to the offensive.
Slovakia (Robert Fico). It has already implemented akin control mechanisms.
Hungary (Viktor Orbán): They have the most extremist version of these rules.
In the country, despite political change, the discussion of transparency of NGO backing returns as a request to defend against misinformation from the east, but besides excessive force from the west. Depending on which side of the political scene it speaks, it uses it for its own arguments.
NGOs frequently block key infrastructure investments (e.g. Czech atomic programme). The exclusion of these mechanisms is not just a substance of worldview, but of a hard game of billions of euros.

(for ‘surviving the crisis’)