Civic Sector Approaches EU Institutions via Open Letter over RTVS

Bratislava, March 14 (TASR) - The civic sector is addressing an open letter to the European Commission and the European Parliament over the proposed Radio and Television Slovakia (RTVS) bill, and the activists say that the freedom of the press is under threat and that it contravenes EU rules, TASR was told by Patrik Kimijan from the Via Iuris organisation on Thursday. "Free public media independent from state power is a prerequisite for a functional democracy," emphasised Let's Stop Corruption Foundation head Zuzana Petkova. Katarina Batkova from Via Iuris said that the proposed legislation is incompatible with European law. Transparency International Slovakia director Michal Pisko points out that free, responsible and high-quality public media are even more important in times of a boom in disinformation and risky technologies. According to INEKO head Dusan Zachar, the bill goes against the public interest and is an attempt to hijack public media. The Let's Stop Corruption Foundation, INEKO, Via Iuris, Transparency International Slovakia, Jan Kuciak Investigative Centre and MEMO 98 warn that the approval of the proposed legislation would lead to the government's takeover of the public media. They are collecting citizens' signatures under the open letter. Slovak National Party (SNS) chair Andrej Danko and representatives of the Culture Ministry claimed at a press conference on Thursday that the reason for making changes to RTVS is the need to bolster its financial stability as well as the fact that the institution has failed to demonstrate the character that a real public-service medium should have. A priority for SNS is to replace incumbent RTVS general director Lubos Machaj, as the party believes he's unable to govern the institution efficiently. The Culture Ministry submitted a bill on Radio and Television Slovakia for inter-departmental review on Monday (March 11). The current institution shouldn't be formally divided, but several changes in the way it operates are proposed. In line with new rules, the general director should be elected by a seven-member council composed of three nominees of the culture minister and four elected in parliament. There should also be a programme council, the majority of whose members would be elected by parliament. am/mcs