The Sme daily wrote on April 14 that the Party of European Socialists (PES) is monitoring the situation concerning Slovakia’s controversial Press Code that passed parliament last week.
The PES only recently reinstated Prime Minister Robert Fico’s Smer party after suspending it last year for forming a coalition with the Slovak National Party (SNS).
Hannes Swoboda, deputy Chairman of the PES Faction in the European Parliament, said that PES would consult with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which voiced strong opposition to the bill in the months leading up to its passage.
Smer expressed surprise at PES’ interest in the code. According to Smer MP Boris Zala, other Brussels-based organisations have been silent about the law. He accused Swoboda of using PES resources to investigate something he personally opposes.
The European Commission has stated that it does not have jurisdiction over a member country’s Press Code. Instead, Hans-Gert Pottering, president of the European Parliament, praised Slovakia for passing the Lisbon Treaty on April 10. SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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