A controversial nationalist in Slovakia’s government coalition hopes to overhaul the country’s public television and radio stations, the Pravda newspaper reported Friday. Jan Slota, an ally of Prime Minister Robert Fico, and his Slovak National Party (SNS) have proposed “switching media politics to nationalist,” the report said.
The full cabinet led by Fico’s Smer party will now consider the proposal from Slota, who has been criticized at home and abroad for statements that fueled tension between the government and Slovakia’s ethnic Hungarians.
Another SNS leader, Anna Belousovova, accused the broadcasters Slovak Television STV and Slovak Radio of undermining trust in the government through their news coverage. ”The public media makes a mockery of democratically elected government representatives,” she said.
Slota thinks a new director will be chosen soon at the council that controls STV, Rada STV. He also wants to make changes at Slovak Radio. ”Slovak Radio was an objective medium not long ago,” Belousovova said. “A purge begins today.”
However, Slovak Radio Director Miloslava Zemkova defended her station and said any shortcomings could be linked to inadequate government funding.
(Source: dpa)
