BRATISLAVA, November 28, (WEBNOVINY) — SNS Deputy Chairman Andrej Danko has accused SMER-SD Deputy Chairman and former Interior Minister Robert Kalinak of media manipulations with the aim of breaking up potential cooperation between the SNS and SMER-SD. „Kalinak is one of those people who misused intelligence services to break up any cooperation between SNS and SMER-SD. When we were in power [together], several intelligence facts and purposive ties came to light indicating that the SNS is the worst one and its officials rain down fire and sulfur. Danko believes that behind Kalinak’s motive for his destructive activities is to worsen the position of any partner of the Social Democrats.
The head of the SNS deputy club Rafael Rafaj is also dissatisfied with Slovakia’s media environment, likening it to that in Hungary. Rafaj thinks that Slovak TV stations ignore the SNS intentionally. The party has therefore ordered an analysis of its media coverage and based on it is preparing a motion to the license council that should fix the situation with the public service media, TA3 TV news channel and also TV Markiza. The SNS wants to solve the problem also in the legislative way. Danko however did not reveal details insisting they will be part of the SNS election program. Danko says that the SNS has been ignored by radio stations, print media and web portals as well. He urged reporters to discipline their colleagues who go on holiday of money they receive from political partes.
Danko said that the transcript of the wiretapped conversation between Robert Kalinak and PRAVDA reporter Vanda Vavrova, whom the ex-defense minister wanted to publish a story is the exact picture of the state of the media. According to Danko, certain politicians are not only able to force publication of a stance but also to arrange an embargo on information on a political party. “People like Kalinak are behind blocking the SNS in the media,“ said Danko according to whom we are approaching a situation that whenever one opens a refrigerator, somebody from SMER will jump out from it. The transcript of Kalinak’s dialogue also shows how politicians are able to abuse information they have at disposal, Danko maintained.
SITA