Slovenia Times
10. March, 2021
Photo: STA
Ljubljana – Prime Minister Janez JanÅ¡a called on the director of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA), Bojan VeselinoviÄ, to step down. “It is time for the director as a political tool of the extreme left to step down and take responsibility for his unlawful actions. And allow the STA to work and develop normally,” JanÅ¡a wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.
The STA turned to the prime minister’s office for explanation about which unlawful actions JanÅ¡a was referring to. In response, the office said it would not comment additionally on the issue.
The prime minister also said in the tweet that since the STA had been led by VeselinoviÄ, “journalists with fatal disease are being dismissed and lie is often being sold as the truth”.
Slovenia Times
5. February, 2021
Ljubljana – The Slovenian Journalists’ Association (DNS) and the Trade Union of Slovenian Journalists (SNS) have come out strongly against what they see as censorship following media reports that some government officials and advisers failed to get clearance from the Government Communication Office (UKOM) to appear on news shows. UKOM rejected the claims.
The SNS said that by “limiting cooperation of representatives of the government and various public institutions with certain journalists and media”, UKOM was “trying to control content in the media and avoid reporting on different opinions and criticism of the government’s work”.
Meanwhile, the DNS said UKOM could not tailor media content. “Centralised government communication, censorship of own functionaries and restricting journalists’ access to information are the features of autocratic and undemocratic systems which do not respect freedom of speech,” reads the
Slovenia Times
15. January, 2021
Several hundred euro banknotes stacked by value. Euro money concept. Rolls Euro banknotes. Euro currency. Announced cancellation of five hundred euro banknotes. Banknotes stacked on each other in different positions. Toned photo.
Ljubljana – The government has provisionally approved the release of overdue budget payments to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) as required by the 7th economic stimulus package, the Government Communication Office (UKOM) said on Thursday.
The provisional release of funds was cleared based on a message by EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager which “indicates the possibility of a positive European Commission decision regarding the transfer of state aid for the STA” as the government awaits a final decision, UKOM said.
Slovenia s national press agency at risk after funding slashed
The right-wing government of Prime Minister Janez Jansa has cut funding for Slovenia s public press agency, claiming the service hasn t accounted for its spending. Rights groups have decried the threat to press freedom.
Prime Minister Janez Jansa has consistently criticized STA s reporting
The future of Slovenia s national press agency, STA, is at risk after the Slovenian government suspended funding earlier this month and said its funding for 2021 is also at risk.
If funds are not restored by the end of the year, it would mean a loss of almost half a million euros, STA director Bojan Veselinovic told DW, adding that the government has never been late with its payments. It means that we would run out of money for the salaries of 70 people, he added. STA currently employs 80 journalists and photo reporters.