By: Sara Kovač / Nova24tv
After public pressure from left-wing journalists, media, and politicians on Dr Jože Možina due to Saturday’s show Utrip, the management of RTV Slovenia responded, “the management of RTV Slovenia condemns attempts to overthrow editorial independence”, adding that given that some from the social and political public, as well as some politicians, are calling for sanctions against Možina and editor-in-chief Jadranka Rebernik, they are obliged to protect employees. “We understand threats, insults and attacks as an attempt to interfere with journalistic and editorial autonomy and political pressure.”
After Tanja Fajon publicly put pressure on the journalist of RTV Slovenia and wrote, “Shame! Možina and team. There is no excuse for the editorial policy, which no longer works in the public interest”, RTV Slovenia responded. They strongly condemn attempts to undermine editorial independence and see the attack as political pressure. Considering that MEP Sophie in ’t Veld and MEP Vera Jourova were also very concerned about media freedom in Slovenia, MEP Romana Tomc informed them about the SD party’s attack on Možina and Rebernik. “I expect a decisive response due to inadmissible pressures on press and editorial freedom by Tanja Fajon and the SD party,” Tomc wrote.
“The management of RTV Slovenia and the management of TV Slovenia support journalists and editors-in-chief who, despite pressure, are striving for editorial independence. Insults, threats, and attacks have recently been particularly intense, organised, not only on social networks, but also in individual media. We see such announcements as an attempt to tarnish the reputation of RTV Slovenia and threaten its independence,” the RTV Slovenia management wrote in a response, adding that it is necessary to strengthen the culture of public dialogue and preserve the independence and autonomy of journalism at all costs, while not allowing that democratic values would be lost in our country.
The European Community is informed of the inadmissible political pressure on public television
It is worth mentioning that in ‘t Veld and Jourova have in the past often expressed concern over Slovenian events in the media, defended the autonomy of the media and condemned the pressure, so Tomc also informed them about the event. As she said, she expects a decisive response due to the pressure of the SD party on media freedom.
SD even took advantage of the event for a campaign
With the inadmissible pressures on the media the SD party has gone so far as to use the event for its political campaign and based on these pressures, invites voters to vote for their party. Like Alenka Bratušek, who is counting down the days when she will be able to persecute journalists who do not share the same or similar opinion.
Biščak: This is typical “Nazism”
Jože Biščak, president of the Association of Patriotic Journalists of Slovenia and editor of Demokracija, also responded to the attack, who said that if the leftists’ response to the show Utrip was different from them jumping up and demanding the heads of the show’s creators, it would be a surprise. “They just do not know any other way, that is how they were taught. As long as the content of the shows is in line with their beliefs, perceptions and worldview based on communism, which today is disguised as liberal democracy, all is well. At that time, lies and manipulations are also allowed, because for them the goal justifies the means. If this is no longer the case, God forbid that the truth (or a different opinion) is presented, as Jože Možina did for Dražgoše in Utrip.” One should be aware, Biščak said, that every publication can provoke different reactions. Thus, journalists and editors must also get used to being criticised. “The problem in this case is that these same people, who until recently complained to Brussels and complained that the right-wing political pole criticises them and interferes in their work, are now silent when Jože Možina and Jadranka Rebernik are pressured by politicians, especially Social Democrats. But they also have hypocrisy in their genetic record.”
Viewers have the right to hear different views
“These attacks do not contradict the data presented in Utrip at all, no one said that the author of the show lied about anything. Only flat ideological assessments and, which is horrible, that TV Slovenia should not afford something like that. Hello? How? This is public television, which must be balanced in terms of worldview, viewers have the right to hear different views and opinions. This is in the public interest. The reaction of the left (especially the SD) and angry fighters shows the opposite – that the left ideology is taking over national television. This is typical “ourism”, when one political option and ideology owns the exclusive right over a state-owned media,” added the president of the Association of Patriotic Journalists of Slovenia, Jože Biščak.