Illustrative photo. (source: Unsplash)
Hlavné Správy, one of Slovakia’s largest disinformation websites disseminating pro-Kremlin propaganda, has once again been placed on the list of disinformers.
The list is provided and curated within the Konšpirátori.sk project. The main focus of the list is to protect companies from placing advertisement on questionable websites. Hlavné Správy has been temporarily excluded from the list by the Bratislava Regional Court. The court now decided to cancel the measures it has previously imposed in this regard.
The Bratislava Regional Court definitively cancelled all urgent measures against the Konšpirátori.sk project, which led to them temporarily withdrawing Hlavné Správy from the list of problematic websites. As a result, Hlavné Správy is back on the list of disinformers. The creators of the Konšpirátori.sk project appreciate that the courts finally view their criticism of disinformation websites as justified and objective, they wrote.
“It looks like the Slovak courts have started taking the threat of disinformation websites seriously after many years,” said Peter Jančárik, vice president of the civil association Konšpirátori.sk.
The court has rejected Hlavné Správy's claims that the Konšpirátori.sk project is unlawfully interfering with their rights. The court also took into account the shutdown of Hlavné Správy on the instructions of the National Criminal Agency (NAKA). The agency evaluated them as a security risk after the war in Ukraine started.
Hlavné Správy has been spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda, uncritically giving space to extremists, anti-vaxxers and various conspiracy theories. They were also recently dealt with by the Media Services Council for disseminating anti-Semitism. One of their contributors, Bohuš Garbár, was also filmed accepting a bribe from an intelligence officer related to a Russian spy. Two Slovaks were charged with bribery and espionage in this matter.
