Workers at Slovakia's public broadcaster
RTVS
went on strike on Monday to protest against government plans to relaunch it under new leadership, which employees say will bring news and other content under government control.
The strike, which did not affect television or radio broadcasts, comes amid wider worries over Slovakia after the election of Robert's
Fico government
last year.
Several dozen workers at RTVS marched from a central square in Bratislava to the
culture ministry
, shouting "Free Media!" and "We're not giving up RTVS!", according to the
Dennik N
news website.
RTVS management supported the action.
Fico's coalition government has taken aim at media and other state institutions that it has said had been hostile to it before it took power in October last year.
Parliament is due in the coming days to continue debate on legislation that the government says will restore balance and impartiality at RTVS, giving more room for opinions outside of what it calls the mainstream.
Employees at the television and radio broadcaster, along with opposition parties and European watchdogs, say the changes will harm media independence and stifle government criticism, giving power to politicians to interfere. It was their first ever strike.
"The planned legislative changes will threaten the editorial and creative independence of RTVS employees and collaborators," RTVS's strike committee said on Facebook.
The employees' demand to stop the legislation, under which RTVS's director will be replaced years before his term expires, and a reworked nine-member council appointed by the government and parliament will be responsible for filling the position.
RTVS will also change its name to
Slovak Television and Radio
(STVR), which employees said will cost millions of euros at a time when the broadcaster's budget is already shrinking.
Culture minister
Martina Simkovicova
has said the law will return "public service, balance, independence, objectivity, truthfulness and transparency" to RTVS.
Fico, a four time prime minister, has long had a contentious relationship with media, shunning questions from the main news outlets.
His government this year also closed a two decade old special prosecutor's office that took on high profile corruption after Fico said the lawyers unfairly targeted his party, which critics said hurt the rule of law.
Slovakia's biggest private broadcaster, Markiza, has also just overcome a stand-off with its newsroom, which started when its star presenter was taken off air after decrying what he called political and management pressure on content, which the station denied.
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