AN INTERNATIONAL watchdog organisation, Freedom House, put Slovakia in 36th place in its annual world survey of press freedom released on May 3, World Press Freedom Day.
During 2010 the organisation assessed whether 196 countries had free and independent media. Slovakia shared 36th place with Cyprus, Lithuania and Malta. The Czech Republic placed 26th, Poland 48th, and Hungary, strongly criticised by Freedom House, was 65th, the SITA newswire reported.
In 2009, Slovakia ranked 43rd together with Latvia, Surinam, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vanuatu.