The Slovak Syndicate of Journalists (SSN), a representative organisation of the journalistic profession in Slovakia, is concerned about the fate of the public Slovak Radio's (SRo) foreign broadcasting channel, which may be definitively switched off due to a lack of finances, news wire SITA wrote.
Journalists requested that the government allocate the funds to preserve Radio Slovakia International (RSI).
SRo director general Jaroslav Rezník said that he would switch off RSI as of July 1 if he did not receive Sk75 million (€1.9 million) to continue the broadcast.
The SSN views the foreign broadcast as an important tool for promoting Slovakia abroad. They say it is illogical that, on one hand, the cabinet wants to set up a special institution to promote Slovakia abroad and on the other hand, it wants to cancel a promotional tool that has been efficiently working for a decade.
The parliamentary media committee disagrees with the possible stop of short-wave broadcasts of RSI.
SRo is proposing that funding for RSI could be provided from the Foreign Affairs Ministry budgetary chapter, based on an order from SRo to keep the broadcast in the national interest.
RSI broadcasts in Slovak, English, German, French, Russian, and Spanish.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
