agencyEU Commission concerned about situation at STA, urges govt to act
Brussels, 30 September - The European Commission has expressed concern about the situation at the STA after the agency's director Bojan Veselinovič refused to sign a public service agreement with the government that he described as damaging for the agency and stepped down.
Brussels, Belgium
European Commission HQ in Brussels.
Photo: Xinhua/STA
File photo
"We regret and follow with concern the latest deterioration of the situation, we urge the Slovenian authorities to take decisive action to stop and reverse the current trends," Commission spokesman Christian Wigand said on Thursday.
These developments "unfortunately once again show the need for EU legislation to protect media freedom and pluralism".
Wigand added that the Commission had followed the developments concerning the STA "very attentively" and repeatedly expressed serious concerns and expectations from the government to ensure independence and appropriate funding for the STA.
The STA director resigned this morning after turning down a draft public service agreement proposed by the Government Communications Office (UKOM). He said that he could not participate "in the trampling of journalistic autonomy".