THE SLOVAK Radio Council, a body that oversees the operation of the public broadcaster Slovak Radio (SRo), rejected management plans to halt its international short-wave broadcasts.
Culture Minister František Tóth, who advocates the continuation of the international service, also attended the special meeting of the council on July 19.
Director General of Slovak Radio Jaroslav Rezník says that the station is in a critical financial situation and needs to reshape its programme structure and take cost-cutting measures, the daily SME reported.
Rezník said that the new broadcast structure could have saved Sk130 million (€3.35 million) for the broadcaster. However, the management still does not know how to solve additional losses of Sk200 million (€5.15 million).
Rezník added that one solution would be to make changes to the law on monthly listener fees.
Head of the SRo supervisory commission Roman Černák, said that the money saved through the cancellation of the international broadcast (Sk13.5 million) would cover only five percent of the real losses.
Head of the SRo Council Michal Dzurjanin said that the state should guarantee the service. The Foreign Affairs Ministry supports the service, although it does not have the authority to pay for it.
The Finance Ministry claims that priorities should be set by the Culture Ministry.
