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MPs Break President's Veto on New RTS but Appreciate His Comments
Wednesday 15 December 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, December 15 (TASR) - With 80 yea votes, Parliament on Wednesday broke President Ivan Gasparovic's veto of a law on merging public-service Slovak Television (STV) and Slovak Radio (SRo) that was for the first time approved by the House some two weeks ago.
The new broadcaster's name will be Radio Television Slovakia (RTS).
The law was passed again by the Coalition plus two opposition MPs.
Raising a total of 15 comments, Gasparovic returned the law to Parliament earlier the same day, and lawmakers re-approved it only a couple of hours later. Among the president's arguments was a concern regarding the salary of the new broadcaster's director, which lawmakers accepted and changed from nine-fold of the average monthly nominal salary to only four-fold - thus reducing it from around €6,700 to some €3,000.
The initiative, submitted by Culture Minister Daniel Krajcer (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS), is designed to resolve the financial woes plaguing STV in particular, and to boost the quality of programmes aired by both media.
The new RTS chief will be tasked with consolidating broadcasting and preparing conditions for running the institution as of 2012. As of the beginning of that year, the broadcaster will receive a single allocation from the state budget. Also at the beginning of 2011, licence fees will be abolished.
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