Bratislava sees 1000’s protest overhaul of nationwide broadcaster.
Thousands amassed in central Bratislava over the weekend to protest the overhaul of the country’s public broadcaster RTVS. Protesters worry that the reform will put the channel underneath governmental keep an eye on.
The reform plan is to rename RTVS into STaR (“Slovak Television and Radio”) and to push aside maximum of its best control, together with the pinnacle of the channel. A brand new boss is to be appointed by way of a council, elected partly by way of the Ministry of Culture and partly by way of the parliament, the place the ruling coalition has the bulk.
600 staff of RTVS signed a declaration in opposition to the reform.
According to protesters, that is a right away violation of EU regulation, particularly the European Media Freedom Act of 2022, which calls for the clear and independent appointment of public broadcasters’ control and obviously prohibits to fireside already appointed functioneers ahead of the tip in their time period.
Michal Šimečka, chief of Progressive Slovakia (one of the vital events who initiated the protests) claimed that that is precisely the way in which “all autocrats follow” and if Slovakia is going down this path, it’s going to finally end up like Hungary, and even Belarus.
