Media freedom platform begins work in Slovakia

1 year ago 54

Slovakia’s Media Freedom Platform – which includes government, NGO and media representatives – aims to support the implementation of international commitments, including the Commission’s Rule of Law reports, amid Prime Minister Robert Fico’s latest attack on journalists in another video.

The platform was created as part of the international Open Government Partnership, which Slovakia has been a part of since 2011. The inaugural meeting was on 7 November, after the Smer government of Fico took office.

“The most important thing for us is that through a dialogue with state institutions, this platform contributes to the safety of journalists,” says Pavol Szalai, the head of EU and Balkans with Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

As part of the platform, RSF wants to advocate for Slovakia to fully implement the European Commission’s recommendations on the safety of journalists and protection from SLAPP suits, which have not yet been fulfilled.

Lucia Lacika of Slovakia’s Open Government Partnership adds that one of the platform’s goals is to evaluate the chapter on media pluralism in the European Commission’s Rule of Law Report. However, it is merely a ‘working group to coordinate the implementation of these individual commitments’.

Specifically, one of the points agreed at the inaugural meeting was to protect and strengthen the independence of Slovakia’s public broadcaster, RTVS.

Fico’s cabinet is considering splitting the institution into TV and radio, which Szalai says could theoretically be done in line with media freedom standards. However, other actions taken by Smer against the media have RSF concerned about the aims of this plan.

In a video shared on social media on Sunday, Fico attacked Slovakia’s most popular TV station, Markíza, as well as major news sites Denník N, SME and Aktuality, calling them “enemy media” and saying he would “give instructions to the Cabinet Office” in this regard.

Another agreed goal of the platform is to achieve full justice for the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová. Lukáš Diko, editor-in-chief of the Ján Kuciak Investigative Centre, which is also a member of the platform, says he believes the platform can help protect their legacy.

“In the post-election period, we have seen an increased number of attacks on journalists in Slovakia, including attacks by politicians. It is therefore important to draw attention to the protection of journalists and the protection of freedom of the press,” says Diko.

(Barbara Zmušková | Euractiv.sk)