BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Thousands Slovaks rallied in the capital on Friday to condemn a plan by the new government of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico to overhaul the country’s public broadcasting during a wave of anti-government protests.
The protesters in Freedom Square at downtown Bratislava joined President Zuzana Caputova, local journalists, the opposition, international media organizations, the European Commission and others who warned that the changes would result in the government’s full control of the Slovak public television and radio.
Zora Jaurova, a lawmaker for the major opposition Progressive Slovakia party that co-organized the protest said the changes would turn the broadcaster into “a trumpet for government propaganda.”
“We must not allow that to happen,” she told the crowd.
According to the plan drafted by Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova, the current public radio and television known as RTVS would be replaced by a new organization. A new seven-member council with members nominated by the government and parliament would select its director, although the current one has a parliamentary mandate until 2027. The council would have a right to dismiss the director without giving any reason.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Thousands Slovaks rallied in the capital on Friday to condemn a plan by the new government of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico to overhaul the country’s public broadcasting during a wave of anti-government protests.
The protesters in Freedom Square at downtown Bratislava joined President Zuzana Caputova, local journalists, the opposition, international media organizations, the European Commission and others who warned that the changes would result in the government’s full control of the Slovak public television and radio.
Zora Jaurova, a lawmaker for the major opposition Progressive Slovakia party that co-organized the protest said the changes would turn the broadcaster into “a trumpet for government propaganda.”
Thousands of people have repeatedly taken to the streets across Slovakia recently to rally against Fico’s pro-Russian and other policies, including a plan to amend the penal code that would reduce punishment for corruption and some other crimes and a significant shorten the statute of limitations.
Fico returned to power for the fourth time last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won Sept. 30 parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform.
Known for his tirades against journalists, Fico recently labeled a major television network, two nationwide newspapers and an online news website his enemies and doesn’t communicate with them.
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