RTVS employees go on three-hour warning strike

Employees of the public broadcaster RTVS entered the first ever strike in the history of both institutions, Slovak Radio and Slovak Television. They claim they express their right guaranteed by the constitution. The strike took place ahead of the final reading of the proposal for establishing the succeeding institution STVR which suggests establishing an Ethical commission that employees fear would be the tool of censorship in the future.

"Many demands of the strike committee are identical with the opinions of the RTVS management, especially in the area of ​​planned legislative changes, financing the institution and ending attacks on journalists by politicians," reads a statement by RTVS general director Lubos Machaj and the RTVS management. According to them, the strike won't affect RTVS's broadcasting.

Several film associations have expressed their support for the demands of the RTVS employees.

The bill on STVR is currently in Parliament. The government passed it in late April. The motion doesn't formally split RTVS, but it does change the rules guiding the creation of the public-broadcaster's bodies and terminates the tenure of incumbent director Machaj and the RTVS Board members.

RTVS, TASR