By: L.K.F.
At the session of the RTV Slovenia Programme Council, in addition to current affairs, the council paid special attention to political pressure on RTV Slovenia. It was explained in the discussion that in the heated pre-election period before the April parliamentary elections, some opposition political parties are putting pressure on the independent bodies of RTV Slovenia, namely the management of RTV Slovenia, the Programme and Supervisory Board and individual editors and journalists of RTV Slovenia. The Programme Council has therefore adopted a statement informing the European Commission and European journalists’ associations of these political pressures.
In its statement, the Programme Council explained that the political parties SD, SAB, LMŠ, Levica, and Gibanje Svoboda (or their representatives in the National Assembly) convened an emergency session of the Culture Committee, at which they personally met with RTV Slovenia Director General Andrej Grah Whatmough, the President of the Programme Council Dr Peter Gregorčič, and with individual editors and journalists of RTV Slovenia.
“Thus, they used their position of power to create strong political pressure on the independence of RTV Slovenia,” explained the president of the Programme Council, Dr Peter Gregorčič. The Programme Council emphasises that the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly do not allow those invited to respond to harsh accusations of MPs at a committee session.
They are also putting pressure on the Ombudswomen for the Rights of Viewers and Listeners
In its statement for the European Commission and European journalists’ associations, the Programme Council also highlighted the words of the Ombudswoman for the Rights of Viewers and Listeners Marica Uršič Zupan, who in her speech in the National Assembly highlighted the sharp increase in insulting and unjustified reactions. She explained that these responses in the pre-election period come mainly from the left-wing. The ombudswoman also said that some journalists and editors were experiencing great pressure and harassment from some colleagues. She added that the increased number of differently motivated responses also put pressure on the ombudswoman to work for a certain group of people.
SD MP Marko Koprivc wants to amend the RTV law before the elections
In its statement, the Programme Council emphasised the appearance of MP Marko Koprivc (SD) at the emergency session of the Committee on Culture. In the discussion, he explained that their only duty as the opposition and civil society is to immediately change the law governing RTV Slovenia. He stressed that this should be done before the appointment of a new government after the parliamentary elections in late April. Koprivc said that the law on RTV Slovenia should be changed in the part that regulates the appointment of management bodies. His explanation can be understood that in this way opposition political parties will be able to appoint new members of the RTV Slovenia Programme Council, which will also enable them to replace the current leadership and then individual editors.
Harassment of individual journalists
The Programme Council took note of the indications pointing to suspicions of threats of harassment in the workplace. As the crime of harassment in the workplace is prosecuted ex officio in accordance with Article 197 of the Criminal Code, the Programme Council recommended that all those who would recognise the suspicions of such a crime on RTV Slovenia inform the competent authorities about such events. In addition, the Programme Council also called on all employees and part-time employees of RTV Slovenia to engage in respectful and cultural dialogue, which will not include threats and hate speech. Namely, the Programme Council believes that only such a dialogue – even outside the narrower field of journalism – enables professionalism in journalistic work. The Programme Council also condemned all other pressures on RTV Slovenia journalists. In its decision, it emphasised that it advocates an open space for public debate without lowly reckoning with journalists and without insults and malicious lies.
Commission for Monitoring Legislative Changes Regulating the Operation of RTVS
As proposals for changes in the legislation governing the operation of RTV Slovenia are increasingly appearing in public, the Programme Council, as its temporary consultative working body, established a Commission to monitor legislative changes governing the operation of RTV Slovenia. It appointed the following members to the Commission: Jelko Stergel, Peter Gregorčič, Ivan Kramberger, Vane Gošnik, and Klara Remec. The Programme Council has set a mandate for the appointed members for the period 2022-2024, as such legislative procedures take about two years. At the first session of the commission, the members of the newly established commission will elect the chairman of the commission and appoint two representatives to the working group of RTV Slovenia to prepare a proposal for legislative changes.