By: Association of Journalists and Publicists
The Association of Journalists and Publicists (ZNP) is following with concern the tendency of the newly formed ruling coalition to amend the Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTVS) Act as soon as possible.
Thus, at the extraordinary session of the National Assembly on May 18th, 2022, it wishes to discuss the amendment to this law submitted by the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), although this is not in accordance with the rules, as such content does not belong to extraordinary sessions. Namely, the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly stipulate that matters that cannot be postponed are dealt with in an extraordinary case, which does not apply to the aforementioned amendment. The real reason is that the new coalition wants to remove the amendment from the agenda in a quick procedure to ‘make room’ for its own proposal to amend the law.
The purpose of the amendment to the law planned by the new coalition is clear: the coalition of the Gibanje Svoboda, SD, and Levica wants to remove the leadership of RTVS and governing bodies (programming and supervisory board) that the left-wing of Slovenian politics does not like, and to appoint a staff loyal to themselves. In the Association of Journalists and Publicists, we consider such an act inappropriate and unacceptable. Namely, it is a clear attempt to establish lasting political control over it under the guise of ‘depoliticization’ of public radio and television through so-called civil society controlled by the left. In this way, any attempt to establish the political and ideological pluralism that this institution should express in accordance with its mission would be suppressed.
ZNP Board of Directors, May 17th, 2022