The Public Media Alliance is seriously disturbed by the evidence of recent challenges to independent and public media in Slovenia.

Following participation in the recent Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) press freedom mission to Slovenia, the Public Media Alliance (PMA) notes that the constant undermining of public and independent media by those in positions of authority, is deeply damaging to informed democracy.

The report of the mission highlights that following thirty years of independence, Slovenia took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July 2021 amidst growing concerns about the deterioration of media freedom and the widespread use of toxic language towards the press in the country.

With repeated attacks on the public news agency STA and Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTV SLO), public media in Slovenia is under considerable pressure that threatens both its financial stability and independence.

Independent public media that has stable and sustainable funding underpins informed democracies. PMA advocates for the right of all citizens to have equal access to such a shared and free public media space.


The MFRR mission was jointly led by the European Federation of Journalists and the International Press Institute. It was joined by Article 19, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, Free Press Unlimited, and Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa. Representatives of Reporters Without Borders, European Broadcasting Union, South East Europe Media Organisation and the Public Media Alliance also participated.

Last week, the Global Task Force for public media also published a statement in response to the mission, which condemned the attacks on journalists and on the editorial and financial independence of public media in Slovenia.

 

Header Image: Building of RTV Slovenia (Television’s part). Credit: Pv21/Creative Commons