Slovenians to vote on media control

SLOVENIA: Slovenia is gearing up for Sunday's referendum on a controversial new media law, which critics say would place the EU member's main broadcasters under government control.

Under the law, parliament and the government would appoint nearly all the top managers of Slovenia's national television and radio station, RTV, replacing the current system by which non-governmental organisations select most of a 25-member council.

Supporters of the overhaul say it would improve the efficiency and business performance of the broadcasters and would prevent politicians, masquerading as non-governmental organisation members, from exerting undue influence over Slovenia's main media outlets.

Critics insist, however, that the centre-right government of Janez Jansa wants to tighten its grip on the stations by making most of their controllers directly answerable to his cabinet.

"The law inexcusably increases political control over managing RTV Slovenia," said a statement of 31 opposition members, who saw political power shift to the right last October when Mr Jansa ended 12 years of mostly centre-left rule.

The debate has divided the former Yugoslav nation, with Mr Jansa's supporters accusing the Socialists of using media influence to seek political gain, and senior bishops in Slovenia's Catholic Church accusing the public broadcasters of "remaining frozen in the time of an ideologically intolerant former regime".

They were particularly unhappy with the reporting of Church affairs by public broadcasters which conservatives perceive as hives of left-wing opinion.

"Public TV and radio often lack professionalism in reporting on Church affairs," the bishops complained.

Foreign media experts have voiced fears over the law. After a member of the opposition said Council of Europe experts had found serious fault with the bill, Branko Grims of the ruling Slovene Democrats (SDS) called their opinion "legally inaccurate and wrong, politically faulty and completely worthless".

His SDS ally, Joze Tanko, added of his left-wing opponents: "The deception and lies of their campaign show that they fear losing political influence at RTV Slovenia."

The referendum will be Slovenia's 10th since it declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.