# Slovakia's parliament dissolves public broadcaster RTVS, replaces it with STVR

Published 2026-09-22. Last reviewed 2026-09-22. 2 sources.

Status: in effect, as of 2026-09-22.

Slovakia's parliament, controlled by Prime Minister Robert Fico's coalition, dissolved public broadcaster RTVS and replaced it with a new entity, STVR, whose director is now chosen through a process giving parliament and the culture ministry more direct control, prompting protests and criticism from the European Union.[1][2][3]

- Country: [Slovakia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/sk) (RSF 2026 rank: 37th of 180)
- Where: SK
- Level of government: National
- Tactics: Licensing and closure of outlets, Funding and ownership pressure
- Stage: Pressure (ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/outlet_licensing#stage-pressure)
- Head of government at the time: [Robert Fico](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/robert-fico)
- Issue of the day: Fico's government accused RTVS of one-sided, activist coverage against it, a complaint it made after RTVS reporting the government considered unfavorable during Fico's return to power in late 2023.
- Outcome: Sustained, July 1, 2024. STVR replaced RTVS as planned; the ousted director-general kept only his separate parliamentary mandate.
- Era: The 2020s

## What happened

Slovakia's parliament passed a law dissolving the public broadcaster RTVS and creating a successor, Slovak Television and Radio (STVR), which was promulgated on July 1, 2024. Under the new structure, parliament and the culture ministry nominate nine council members who select STVR's director-general, replacing RTVS's previous, more independent selection process; the displaced RTVS director, Lubos Machaj, kept only his separate parliamentary mandate through 2027. The parliamentary culture committee's chairman defended the change, describing RTVS as an "activist TV" whose editors lacked political neutrality. Opposition lawmaker Zora Jaurova said private media owners were being pressured to accept a different approach to political coverage, and Slovak journalist Ivan Brada said the country appeared to be following Hungary's path toward government-controlled media. Thousands protested in Bratislava, and European institutions criticized the law.[1][2][3][4]

## What reason was given

The parliamentary committee chairman overseeing the bill said RTVS operated as an "activist TV" whose editorial staff lacked political neutrality.[1]

## What changed for reporting

Slovakia's public broadcaster was dissolved and re-formed under a leadership-selection process giving the governing coalition direct influence over who runs it, a structural change press-freedom monitors said increased the government's leverage over public-service journalism.[2]

## Timeline

- 2024-06-20: Slovakia's parliament dissolves public broadcaster RTVS, replaces it with STVR

## Who acted

| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [National Council of the Slovak Republic](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/slovak-parliament) | legislated | National legislature |
| [Robert Fico](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/robert-fico) | ordered | Prime Minister of Slovakia |

## Outlets and journalists

| Name | Kind | Relation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [RTVS / STVR](https://thewaronnews.com/outlets/rtvs-stvr) | outlet | affected |

## Sources

1. Slovakian government is quashing public media independence, opposition warns. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/07/04/slovakian-government-is-quashing-public-media-independence-opposition-warns (Euronews, 2024-07-04).
2. Slovakia: The Act on the public broadcaster enters into force (IRIS 2024-8:1/24). https://merlin.obs.coe.int/article/10128 (European Audiovisual Observatory (IRIS Merlin), 2024-08).

## Claims cited

[1] The parliamentary committee chairman defended the bill by describing RTVS as an activist broadcaster lacking neutrality. Quote: "activist TV" Source: Euronews, 2024-07-04. Slovakian government is quashing public media independence, opposition warns. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/07/04/slovakian-government-is-quashing-public-media-independence-opposition-warns Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/431, checked 2026-09-22.

[2] An opposition member said private media owners faced pressure to change their approach to political coverage. Quote: "private owners of the media are being blackmailed by the government in order to create a different approach to political debates." Source: Euronews, 2024-07-04. Slovakian government is quashing public media independence, opposition warns. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/07/04/slovakian-government-is-quashing-public-media-independence-opposition-warns Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/432, checked 2026-09-22.

[3] A Slovak journalist said the country appeared to be following the same path as Hungary's media system. Quote: "we are moving in that direction. That's why we wear badges, to show that we are resisting censorship." Source: Euronews, 2024-07-04. Slovakian government is quashing public media independence, opposition warns. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/07/04/slovakian-government-is-quashing-public-media-independence-opposition-warns Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/433, checked 2026-09-22.

[4] The Act on Slovak Television and Radio was adopted by parliament on June 20, 2024 and promulgated on July 1, 2024, when STVR succeeded RTVS. Quote: "The Act on Slovak Television and Radio and on Amendments to Certain Acts was adopted by the National Council (the Parliament) on 20 June 2024 and promulgated on 1 July 2024." Source: European Audiovisual Observatory (IRIS Merlin), 2024-08. Slovakia: The Act on the public broadcaster enters into force (IRIS 2024-8:1/24). https://merlin.obs.coe.int/article/10128 Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/493, checked 2026-09-22.

Source page: https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2024-slovakia-dissolves-rtvs-creates-stvr. The War On News, CC BY 4.0.