Slovakia

[SK] Act on Slovak Radio and Television

IRIS 2011-2:1/39

Jana Markechová

Markechova Law Offices

Since 1 January 2011 Slovak Television (STV) and Slovak Radio (SRo) have merged into a single public institution under the Act No. 532/2010 on Slovak Television and Radio (hereinafter referred to as "Act") of 15 December 2010 (see IRIS 2011-1/49).

Pursuant to the Act, Radio and Television of the Slovak Republic (hereinafter referred to as “RTS”) is a national, independent, informational, cultural and educational public service institution in the area of radio and television broadcasting. The activities of RTS are carried out by the following two branch offices: SRo and STV, which as separate entities dissolved on 1 January 2011. Consequently, RTS took over all rights and obligations of these institutions. Therefore, the respective branch offices do not have legal capacity; however, they are entitled to administrate their financial property independently. The same applies to funds, assets and future income. RTS is also entitled to establish subsidiary corporations, whose scope of business activities is related to the function and activity of RTS. It is also interesting to note that the public multiplex, which contains two television programming services is preserved under the Act and the spare capacity shall be filled with radio broadcasting at the request of RTS.

Pursuant to the Act the bodies of RTS are the General Director and the Council of RTS.

The Council, which is the control and supervisory body of RTS, consists of nine members, two experts respectively in the fields of radio broadcasting, television and law, and three experts in the field of economics. The members are appointed and recalled by the National Council of the Slovak Republic. It is necessary to underline that the candidates can no longer be proposed by the Members of Parliament. Moreover, the members must not participate in a political party or political movement according to the Act. The Council is tasked with various duties, among others to determine the remuneration of the General Director as well as to approve the RTS budget.

The General Director being the statutory body of RTS is entitled to act on behalf of this institution. The General Director is elected and recalled by the National Council and his term of office lasts for a period of five years. He shall also appoint two representatives, one for SRo and one for STV. For the sake of completeness it is to be noted that until the new General Director is appointed the former one of the SRo presently represents RTS as temporary General Director.