The ruling coalition has been critical of Slovakia’s media since taking power, and is currently transforming the country’s public service RTVS broadcaster into a state institution under greater government control after Fico declared its coverage “insufficiently objective.”
Government officials also boycotted any form of communication with daily newspapers Sme and Dennik N, news site Aktuality, and TV Markíza, which is the most-watched station in Slovakia.
In the hostile climate, commercial TV stations Joj and TA3 earlier canceled their political talk shows, followed this past weekend by Markíza, which pulled the plug on its popular “Na Telo” (Hard Question) weekly debate format led by prominent journalist Michal Kovačič.
Kovačič used the last five minutes of his show on Sunday to explain to viewers what was going on behind the scenes. “Slovakia is currently experiencing a war over the Orbanization of our television stations,” he began, referencing Hungary’s illiberal prime minister, Viktor Orbán.
“The future of RTVS is being publicly debated, but in reality this fight is playing out everywhere, quietly and stealthily,” Kovačič said. “If we don’t stop it, it will have ruinous consequences for Slovak democracy.”
In response, TV Markíza management announced the “immediate cancellation” of Kovačič’s show, claiming he had “abused broadcast time to present his personal opinions.”