The Slovakian government has approved a controversial overhaul of the country’s public radio and television services. The move has sparked widespread criticism, with opponents arguing that it would result in the government taking full control of the media. The proposed changes would replace the current public broadcaster, RTVS, with a new organization. The takeover plan was drafted by Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová, a member of the ultra-nationalist Slovak National Party. Šimkovičová has previously worked for an internet television outlet known for spreading disinformation. According to Šimkovičová, the current broadcaster only gives space to mainstream views and censors the rest. However, the broadcaster has denied this claim. Under the new plan, the new broadcaster, Slovak television and radio (STVR), will have a director selected by a council whose nine members will be nominated by the Culture Ministry and Parliament. The current director has a parliamentary mandate until 2027. Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has repeatedly criticized journalists, recently labeled several media outlets, including a major television network, two national newspapers, and an online news website, as his enemies. Fico’s leftist Smer (Direction) party won the parliamentary elections in September 2023 on a pro-Russian and anti-American platform. Critics have expressed concerns that Slovakia, under Fico’s leadership, will abandon its pro-Western course and follow the direction of Hungary under populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The new government has already halted arms deliveries to Ukraine. In response to Fico’s policies, including the media overhaul, thousands of people have taken to the streets across Slovakia in recent weeks to voice their opposition.
Slovakia’s Government Approves Controversial Media Overhaul
