Slovak National Party Proposes Ban on Active Politicians Owning Media

The Slovak National Party (SNS) announced plans to draft legislation that would prohibit active politicians and parliamentary candidates from owning stakes in media companies or being their ultimate beneficiaries. The party, which is part of Slovakia's ruling coalition alongside the social-democratic Smer-SD, argues that media outlets should provide equal access to information dissemination for all political actors. SNS officials cited Italy as a precedent for such restrictions, referencing former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi who was required to transfer his media assets to other parties. The proposed law would represent a significant change to Slovakia's media ownership rules and could affect the current media landscape where some politicians have financial interests in news outlets. The initiative comes amid ongoing debates in Slovakia about media ownership concentration and political influence over news coverage. If enacted, the legislation would force politicians to divest their media holdings or cease their political activities, potentially reshaping the relationship between politics and media ownership in the Central European country.