The Parliament of Slovakia approved this Thursday to dissolve the public radio and television entity RTVS and replace it with another entity, StaR, which will be subject to government control. The controversial law was adopted with the vote of the deputies of the coalition in power, formed by populists and ultranationalists and headed by Robert Fico, while the entire opposition left the plenary session in protest.
The opposition has called for months for massive street protests to protest the bill. Since a 71-year-old man tried to assassinate the prime minister, the populist Fico, on May 15, the demonstrations have ceased. The reform that was approved this Thursday was among the reasons given by the aggressor to justify the assassination attempt.
“It is a direct attack on democracy,” declared a member of the opposition before leaving the room. The law, which was approved in an emergency procedure highly criticized by the opposition, was supported by the 78 government deputies who are the majority in the 150-seat National Council.
RTVS employees protested with a work stoppage on Thursday afternoon, the second strike called in the history of the public entity, which despite this continued to broadcast some programs.
“This law eliminates one of the pillars of democracy,” said another legislator, alluding to the independence that RTVS enjoyed until now with respect to the Executive, since its president was elected by Parliament. At the head of the new entity, called Slovak Television and Radio (StaR), there will be a board of directors of nine members, four of whom will be appointed directly by the Ministry of Culture.
Another opposition deputy referred to the influence of the policies with which the Hungarian Prime Minister, the ultranationalist Viktor Órban, has limited press freedom.
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The Executive headed by Fico, a declared admirer of Orbán, says that the RTVS does not fulfill its mission of objectivity, respect for the diversity of opinions, and promoting the national interest, supporting the country’s cultural values and traditions.
Fico vetoes several independent private media (Markiza television and the newspapers Dennik N, Sme and Aktuality.sk). RTVS reporters have also been censored by members of the Executive in press conferences. In his first public appearance after the attack that nearly cost him his life, Fico blamed the media and the opposition for generating the hatred that led to the assassination attempt.
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