BRATISLAVA: The editor and director of Smena, Slovakia’s leading state-owned newspaper was fired Jan_4, the first full working day since Czechoslovakia split into separate Czech and Slovak republics.
At a news conference Jan.5, editor in chief Karol Jezik and director Jozef Weiss announced plans to set up their own newspaper and dismissed government assertions that the changes at Smena, which has won wide readership with its independent reporting, had been prompted by falling profits.
Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar has made no secret of his distaste for Western style independent journalism. His government has repeatedly accused foreign and domestic reporters of “distorting Slovakia’s image” and failing to reflect government views.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 8, 1993
