The public service broadcaster, Radio and Television Slovakia (RTVS), will lose millions of euros on licensing fees following the change approved by MPs. (source: TASR)
Pensioners and people in need will not be required to pay licencing fees to the public-service broadcaster after the parliament passed an amendment to the law on licencing fees.
“Due to possible negative social consequences, we believe it is inappropriate if they have to pay the licencing fee, cut by half today,” MPs of the junior coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) who proposed the change argued in their proposal, as quoted by the TASR newswire. SNS MPs reasoned that pensioners are often at risk of poverty.
Before the change, pensioners were paying a half of the regular licence fee, which amounts to €4.64 per each household in Slovakia. Only the disabled, schools, and hospitals have been freed from paying the fee to the public service media from the start.
