On 24 April this year, the Slovak Government approved a controversial media bill by the Ministry of Culture. The task envisages the liquidation of the existing public broadcaster, Radio and tv Slovakia (RTVS), with the intention of creating a fresh entity with a akin name – Slovak tv and Radio (STVR). Changes in broadcasting management are besides planned.
Slovakia protests
The changes in the media sparked opposition from the Slovaks, which led to many anti-government demonstrations on the streets of Bratislava. Workers of the decommissioned station protested outside the parliament. The strike committee of RTVS employees and associates shares the assessment of the situation presented by the opposition, which believes the government intends to take control of public broadcasters.
When the opposition left the room, Roman Michelko commented briefly: How sweet would life be without opposition.
The Minister of Culture Martin Szimkovicchov, justifying the bill argued that RTVS gradually lost objectivity and lacked a balance of opinion. She recalled twice the example of Poland and the decisions taken by the Sejm after the elections on October 15, 2023 concerning public media. She said that there were no voices in Slovakia about the invasion of democracy.
Media ‘Orbanisation’
The STVR Act is 1 of the steps of the Robert Fica government, which sparked an intense conflict between the ruling coalition and the opposition. The plan of changes in public media provoked anti-government demonstrations. On Thursday afternoon, there was a protest march by journalists and RTVS staff, which began in front of the radio station and passed into the parliament building.
The opposition points out that the RTVS Act may be the beginning of the process orbanisation the media marketplace and warns that private media may besides lose their independence, as happened in Hungary. In the context of this threat, the largest private tv station, tv Marquisa, is exchanged, where there has been a dispute between journalists and the management of editorial news and information.
Slovak media besides reports that editors of the popular diary Pravda They complain of the interference of management in their work.