The new legislation, pushed for by PM Robert Fico's ruling party, SMER, will disband the public broadcaster RTVS and replace it with an entirely new public TV and radio station.
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00:00Slovakia's overhaul of its public broadcaster RTVS is underway, after a new law on media
00:08entered into force earlier this week.
00:11The new legislation will see the creation of a new Slovak television and radio station,
00:16which will replace RTVS and dismiss the broadcaster's current director, Ljubas Makaj.
00:23Slovakia's culture ministry will then itself elect a new board, giving the government full
00:28control over the body.
00:48The move has sparked backlash from opposition parties, who say the government is attempting
00:53to restrict media freedom.
00:57Progressive Slovakia's representative also said it's not just public media that's affected.
01:02The government is also taking steps against private media.
01:23Journalist Ivan Brada, who participated in the strikes in June, told Euronews he's concerned
01:28Slovakia is taking the same path as Hungary.
01:50The law was passed by a vote of 78 Slovak members of the three-party government coalition,
01:56with a majority of 150 in favour of the Pozsony law.
01:58The opposition says the government's goal is to abolish public media, and in general,
02:02all media freedom.
02:05Kónyarita, Euronews, Pozsony.