In recent weeks, the Slovak government has taken a closer look at the media following its actions towards the judiciary. The government is taking drastic measures to exert greater control over public reporting and private media outlets are also feeling the heat. Journalists at RTVS, the Slovakian broadcaster, have shown their resistance by wearing all black to protest against a proposed reform that would dissolve the institution and rebrand it as STVR.
The culture minister, who is aligned with left-wing populist leader Robert Fico, has criticized RTVS for not allowing enough diversity in its reporting. The government’s plans to reshape the public broadcaster have been met with widespread opposition and criticism from thousands of people who have protested against these reforms and the erosion of media freedom in the country. Despite this, concerns about media freedom continue to grow among the population as some changes have been made to the initial proposals.
Fico’s government has also targeted private media outlets and journalists critical of the government, causing concern among journalists and media professionals in Slovakia. However, there is some optimism that Fico does not have the same level of control as leaders like Viktor Orban in Hungary. As such, this situation is closely watched by media freedom advocates both within and outside Slovakia as concerns continue to mount about press freedom in the country.