A new amendment to the Press Code will restrict public officials' right to reply as currently defined by the law, said Culture Minister Daniel Krajcer (Freedom and Solidarity (SaS)) at a press conference on Thursday, November 11.
Officials won't be able to make use of the right to reply if the published information concerns their public function. "They will have the right to reply as private individuals," said Krajcer, adding that this is in accordance with the Slovak Constitution.
The new Press Code amendment states that a private individual's right to reply can be exercised if reports contain allegations that damage their reputation, dignity or privacy. The act as it stands states that individuals and legal entities have the right to respond to any reports. The right to reply can be applied within 30 days at the moment, with publishers obliged to print responses in the same place and in the same font size as the original report within three days of receiving an application. The amendment merely states that the reply must appear in a designated and well-marked place. Krajcer told the TASR newswire that the amendment is a small one, and does not apply to online media.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
