This is the last issue of The Slovak Spectator for 2011, which gives us the opportunity to thank all our readers for their loyalty during the year. We are about to wrap up a very challenging year, during which our journalists reported on the closely watched bailout vote that ultimately brought down the government of Iveta Radičová, the departure of the defence minister over a wiretapping scandal, and the adoption of legislation designed to bring more transparency to the judicial and prosecution systems, among many other subjects.
Along with new issues, 2011 has also brought along new projects through which The Slovak Spectator has contributed to the training and education of young journalists and helped inspire a wider public debate about the future of the media market. As part of these initiatives we helped arrange in November a visit to Slovakia and a lecture by Joshua Friedman, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, and published an edition of our annual Spectacular Slovakia travel guide written by journalism students from Comenius University in Bratislava.
We know that 2012 will bring new challenges to all sectors of society, and the media environment will be no exception. Yet, even in those difficult times, The Slovak Spectator will do its best to live up to the expectations of its readers, whose interest in our publications inspires us to continue this demanding but nevertheless very fulfilling journey.
Ján Pallo, Publisher
