BRATISLAVA, December 11, (WEBNOVINY) — The Slovak Syndicate of Journalists (SSN) is concerned over the situation of the media in Hungary. The syndicate has adopted a declaration, which it sent also to Hungary’s Ambassador to Slovakia Csaba Balogh. “We are appalled by the attitude of official institutions, in particular the Hungarian public-service television, whose management, instead of resolute action against manipulators of news reporting, punishes those who point out to serious professional violations and protest against it by their hunger strike in front of its building,” the oldest and largest journalist association in Slovakia writes in a declaration also provided to SITA news agency.
SSN deems unacceptable that Slovakia’s southern neighbor handles political struggle with the opposition by denying a license, as the media council recently did in the case of Klubradio. The Slovak journalists also protest against banning the entrance to parliament to reporters of the news reporting Internet portal Index. “We fully support our Hungarian colleagues in the fight for democratic media space and we are prepared to provide them with all the support they will need,” SSN writes to Balogh.
In December of last year, the Hungarian public-service television fired two reporters who were on hunger strike against alleged government’s interference into news reporting. The reporters started the protest in front of the television building on December 12. The management tried to discourage them with loud music and strong spotlights directed at them. Employees of the public-service Hungarian television started the hunger strike a year after the new media act that stirred criticism at home as well as abroad took effect.
SITA