free, pluralistic and independent media represent an unquestionable check on power in a democratic society and should therefore be clearly separated from that power. The steps taken by the Slovak government call into question the right of citizens to have free access to control the work of their elected representatives. Accelerated attempts to change the law, change public control and remove the management of Radio and Television Slovakia, a few years before the expiration of their legally acquired mandate, are in conflict with European legislation and the democratic principles and values on which the Slovak Republic was constituted after the fall of totalitarianism. As a result, these attempts are directed against the citizens of the Slovak Republic. We perceive it as an attempt to prevent public space, which cannot be understood otherwise than as the transformation of democracy into an authoritarian regime. So it is the citizens – the listeners and viewers of Radio and Television Slovakia – against whom these actions of politicians will unfortunately backfire.
We are aware that we cannot interfere in the decision-making of elected Slovak representatives, but at the same time we believe that the government and parliament of the Slovak Republic are aware that we share common struggles for democracy and freedom more than any other two European states. We believe that they do not want to escalate tensions in Slovak society, nor to harm Slovakia’s future in democratic Europe by making the public broadcaster RTVS the object of powerful decision-making and will.
Břetislav Rychlík, director, university teacherSaša Uhlová, chairman of the jury, journalistMartin Groman, journalist, columnistJan Horváthová, historian, director of the Museum of Roma CulturePetra Procházková, journalistStanislav Pavlín, member of the Board of Trustees of the Charter 77 FoundationMarek Orko Vácha, priest, writer, pedagogueJaroslav Veis, journalist, writerK statements are attached: Olga Sommerová – directorHelena Třeštíková – directorMilan Uhde – playwright, former Minister of Culture, signatory of Charter 77Jan Hřebejk – directorTomáš Halík – clergyman, teacher at the University of Prague Zdeněk Svěrák – actor, screenwriterJan Svěrák – directorMonika Rychlíková – producer, directorPetr Minařík – artistic director Months of author reading, Větrné mlýny publishing house Pavel Řehořík – Větrné mlýny publishing house Viktor Parkán – signatory of Charter 77Petr Placák – dissident, writerKarel Steigerwald – playwright, columnistRoman Vávra – film directorJiří Gruntorád – political prisoner, signatory of Charter 77Jan Bednář – former chairman of the Television Council, journalist, signatory of the Charter 77Jaroslav Suk – signatory of Charter 77, linguistVladimír Drápal – signatory of Charter 77, publisher of Guerilla RecordsEliška Wagnerová – lawyer, emeritus judge of the Constitutional CourtHana Ulrychová – singerHana Svanovská – publicistJan Svačina – critic and publicistBarbora Antonová – director of Vesna, translatorJiří Kratochvil – signatory of Charter 77, writerJan Vaculík – entrepreneur Bohumil Kos – economist Rene Kuhn – former chairman of the Council of Czech Television Aleš Máchal – ecopedagogue Vladimír Hanzel – columnist Josef Kordík – priest, signatory of Charter 77 Přemysl Fialka photographer, signatory of Charter 77 Tereza Petišková – art historian, director of the Brno House of Arts Josef Holcman – writer Jiří Tichý – art curator, signatory of the Charter 77Petr Oslzlý – playwright, university teacher, rector emeritus of JAMUI Ivan Binar – journalist and writer, signatory of the Charter 77Jan Bernard – film and theater theorist and critic, dean emeritus of FAMUIvo Popek – cameraman, director Heřman Chromý – political prisoner, signatory of the Charter 77Mikuláš Kroupa, director of Post Bellum , founder of the Memory of the Nation Radim Špaček – directorJana Křišťanka Hradílková – civic activist
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