Slovakian government is quashing public media independence, opposition warns

euronews (in English)

The new legislation, pushed for by PM Robert Fico's ruling party, SMER, will disband the public broadcaster RTVS and replace it with an entirely new public TV and radio station.

Transcript

00:00Slovakia's overhaul of its public broadcaster RTVS is underway, after a new law on media

00:08entered into force earlier this week.

00:11The new legislation will see the creation of a new Slovak television and radio station,

00:16which will replace RTVS and dismiss the broadcaster's current director, Ljubas Makaj.

00:23Slovakia's culture ministry will then itself elect a new board, giving the government full

00:28control over the body.

00:48The move has sparked backlash from opposition parties, who say the government is attempting

00:53to restrict media freedom.

00:57Progressive Slovakia's representative also said it's not just public media that's affected.

01:02The government is also taking steps against private media.

01:23Journalist Ivan Brada, who participated in the strikes in June, told Euronews he's concerned

01:28Slovakia is taking the same path as Hungary.

01:50The law was passed by a vote of 78 Slovak members of the three-party government coalition,

01:56with a majority of 150 in favour of the Pozsony law.

01:58The opposition says the government's goal is to abolish public media, and in general,

02:02all media freedom.

02:05Kónyarita, Euronews, Pozsony.

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