We, the undersigned media and journalists’ organizations, express our support for Peter Bárdy, editor-in-chief of Aktuality.sk, as he faces a vexatious lawsuit filed by Prime Minister Robert Fico for use of Fico’s image on the cover or the book ‘Fico – Obsessed with Power’. 

Fico is seeking €100,000 in damages from Peter Bárdy and an additional €100,000 from the publisher Ringier Slovak Media. The lawsuit does not question the contents of the book, only the choice of cover photo of Fico. 

The lawsuit, according to the analysis by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), fulfills key indicators for a SLAPP case. 

This legal action appears to be another calculated effort to undermine and curtail Slovakia’s independent journalism, utilizing the courts as a tool to suppress free press and dissenting voices. Such tactics reflect a broader trend of legal harassment employed by illiberal regimes to silence journalists and erode media pluralism in captured media environments.

Aktuality.sk is one of Slovakia’s leading news media with a reputation for hard hitting investigative journalism. It was also the home of Ján Kuciak before he was murdered in February 2018 following his exposures into corruption in the heart of the Slovak state during Fico’s last tenure as Prime Minister.

As the environment for independent journalism in Slovakia grows increasingly hostile and press freedom continues to erode, we stand in full solidarity with Peter Bárdy, Aktuality.sk, and all independent journalists in Slovakia. We furthermore call upon the court to dismiss this case. 

Signed

Scott Griffen, Interim Executive Director, International Press Institute (IPI) 

Vojtech Berger, editor, HlidaciPes.org (Czech Republic)

Beata Balogova, editor-in-chief Daily SME (Slovakia)

Jelena Pavic Valentic, editor-in-chief, Telegram (Croatia)

Matus Kostolny, editor-in-chief, Dennik N (Slovakia)

Gyöngyi Roznár, editor-in-chief, Nyugat.hu (Hungary)

Berislav Jelinić, editor-in-chief, Nacional (Croatia)

Roman Imielski and Bartosz T. Wielinski, deputy editors-in-chief, Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland)

Cristian Delcea, editor-in-chief, Recorder (Romania)

Ali Žerdin, editor, Delo (Slovenia)