The Slovak public broadcaster, Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), has seen more than 15 directors since independent Slovakia emerged in 1993. Directors at the broadcaster have changed more frequently than governments. Whenever power has changed, politicians have been likely to sack the television director and install their loyal pick. The directorial cast over the […]

Efforts by Slovakia’s prime minister to exercise control over the country’s public broadcaster are “inappropriate and unwise”, the International Press Institute (IPI) said today, urging lawmakers to allow the broadcaster to operate independent of political pressure. In an address to Slovakia’s parliament on Thursday, the National Council, on Thursday, Prime Minister Robert Fico, speaking as […]

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today released a comparative study “Defamation and Insult Laws in the OSCE Region” finding that criminal law remains an instrument to excessively limit media freedom. Commissioned by the representative and conducted by International Press Institute (IPI) Director of Press […]

We, the undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), express our concerns over the recent wave of vexatious lawsuits against the investigative portal Network for Investigation of Crime and Corruption (KRIK) in Serbia. We believe that these lawsuits are a form of strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPPs) that aim to stifle scrutiny […]