EU examines Slovakia’s RTVS reform amid concerns over media freedom

5 months ago 12

The European Commission has announced that it is looking into the recent legislative changes affecting Slovak public broadcaster RTVS, passed by parliament on Thursday and awaiting the president’s approval, raising concerns about the law’s impact on media freedom.

The Slovak government’s plans to reform the country’s public broadcaster have attracted criticism, with the main concern being the independence of the public broadcaster, with the planned state control ultimately running counter to the EU’s Media Freedom Directive.

“The Commission is analysing the law and we follow developments closely. The President still needs to sign the law,” a European Commission spokesperson told Euractiv Slovakia, although the president’s refusal was easily overruled by the ruling majority in parliament.

Asked whether Slovakia could face repercussions, the Commission spokesperson stressed that “public broadcasters may never be turned into government broadcasters”.

“This is why, in the Media Freedom Act, we have proposed strong safeguards for the independence and stable funding of public service media. The Commission also monitors the situation in Slovakia closely as part of the rule of law report, and developments will be reflected in the next 2024 rule of law report,” the Commission added.

RTVS will cease to exist in its current form and will be replaced by a new institution called Slovak Television and Radio (STVR). The new legislation will change the selection process for RTVS’ oversight council at the broadcaster. The government has accused the council of being biased and disregarding opinions that it considers “outside the mainstream”.

Along with RTVS, the current head of the public broadcaster, Ľuboš Machaj, will end his term prematurely. A restructured nine-member council, now to be appointed by the Culture Ministry and parliament, will be tasked with filling his position.

Machaj described the law’s passage as “a black day for independent public broadcasting, the media, and civil society in Slovakia.”

The reform had previously been criticised by the European Commission, the Council of Europe and media freedom organisations.

The leading opposition party, Progressive Slovakia (PS), said it would challenge the RTVS law before the Constitutional Court.

(Natália Silenská | Euractiv.sk)