Measuring EMFA Compliance: Can EMFA Capture-Proof the Slovak Media?
This page presents the 2025 Media Capture Monitoring Report: Slovakia, an annual assessment by the International Press Institute (IPI) and the Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC) that measures Slovakia’s compliance with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) and identifies key media capture risks.
Executive Summary
Although the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) entered into force on 8 August 2025, Slovakia’s implementation remains partial and politically contested. Major legislative changes adopted in 2024–2025 not only failed to align the country with EMFA requirements but, in several areas, directly violated EMFA principles, most notably in the governance of public service media.
In 2024, the government dissolved the relatively independent public broadcaster RTVS and established STVR, whose governance is fully dominated by ruling-coalition appointees. The Ministry of Culture and Parliament together control all nine board seats, with no opposition or independent representation. Early decisions of STVR leadership, including program cancellations, politicised appointments, and the promotion of pro-government narratives, demonstrate an explicit political takeover.
This restructuring constitutes a clear breach of EMFA Article 5, which requires transparent, pluralistic, and politically independent governance of public service media.
Slovakia’s media regulator, the Council for Media Services (RpMS), is legally independent but now dominated by six ruling-coalition nominees, several with direct political ties or past involvement in media capture processes. This shift has nearly eliminated operational independence. Although EMFA-related responsibilities were expanded in 2025, these remain undermined by insufficient resources and political imbalance.
Slovakia has no dedicated legislation regulating state advertising or ensuring transparency and non-discrimination. Ministries and public bodies distribute funds without criteria, oversight, or public reporting. Government officials, including the Prime Minister, have publicly threatened critical media, while subsidies have been channelled to pro-government and disinformation websites. The monitoring powers granted to the regulator under EMFA implementation will only take effect in 2026.
The Slovak media market remains highly vulnerable to oligarchic capture, particularly through the Penta Group’s dominant presence in the print/tabloid sector and ongoing political pressure on private broadcasters such as Markíza. Neither antitrust authorities nor the media regulator assess mergers for their impact on media pluralism, as required under EMFA Article 22.
Explore the data
Media capture mechanisms and safeguards
The table below summarises the key media capture mechanisms as well as the existence and enforcement of legal safeguards, and their alignment with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) identified in the countries covered by the project. To see Slovakia, click on the respective country tab.
Questions & Answers
This section provides short, structured answers to key questions arising from the Slovakia 2025 Media Capture Monitoring Report. These entries support journalists, policymakers, researchers and educators who need fast, clear access to findings without reading the full report.
What is the core finding of the report?
Slovakia has not implemented EMFA effectively and has taken steps, especially the creation of STVR, that directly violate EMFA safeguards, resulting in systemic capture of public service media and declining independence of regulatory institutions.
What is the stage of EMFA implementation?
A 2025 implementation act addressed only limited EMFA requirements and ignored core elements related to PSM governance, state advertising transparency, and media pluralism assessments. Political priorities favoured tightening control over media rather than ensuring compliance.
How independent is the media regulator (RpMS)?
Formally independent, but in practice politically dominated. Six out of nine board members are aligned with the ruling coalition, some with direct political or oligarchic ties.
How are regulatory appointments carried out?
All members are elected by Parliament, which currently ensures single-coalition control. Professional organizations may nominate candidates, but political majority determines final outcomes.
Does the regulator have the resources to oversee EMFA compliance?
No. RpMS lacks sufficient funding and staffing. Additional resources identified for EMFA tasks were not included in the 2025 state budget. Recruitment has been postponed to 2026.
What is the situation of public service media (STVR)?
STVR represents a full political capture of public broadcasting: government-controlled board, partisan Director General, and early editorial interventions that align programming with ruling-coalition preferences.
Is public service media funding independent and predictable?
No. Funding comes almost entirely from the state budget, subject to political discretion. The new formula (0.12% of GDP) is widely viewed as insufficient and vulnerable to manipulation.
How transparent is state advertising in Slovakia?
It is not transparent. There is no central database, no criteria, and no formal oversight. Evidence shows preferential funding for pro-government outlets and exclusion of independent media.
How transparent is media ownership?
Basic legal disclosure exists, but the national media register is non-functional, and no systematic ownership mapping or conflict-of-interest analysis is conducted.
What is the main systemic risk identified?
A combined capture scenario: politically controlled public broadcaster, politically aligned regulator, opaque state advertising, and oligarch-dominated market with weak merger oversight. Together, these conditions severely undermine pluralism and editorial independence.
What key reforms does the report recommend?
The report calls for the following: depoliticise appointments to the regulator and STVR; introduce transparent, non-discriminatory rules for state advertising; strengthen conflict-of-interest regulations; require merger assessments to evaluate media pluralism, not only economic thresholds; and reinstate independent funding mechanisms for public service media.
Resources & Reference Materials
- Full report (PDF): Media Capture Monitoring Report: Slovakia 2025
- Integrity & Verification Note (PDF): SHA3-256 digital fingerprint and verification instructions
- Earlier reports: Media Capture Monitoring Report: Slovakia 2024
- Methodology overview: Check the project page
Citation
Hanák, P. (2025). Media Capture Monitoring Report: Slovakia 2025. Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC): London/Tallinn/Santiago de Compostela. International Press Institute (IPI): Vienna.
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