Slovakia: Editors of online news server will not give space to ultra-right candidate

The editors of news server Aktuálně.sk have made a rather unique decision. They will not be giving the Facsist candidate Marián Kotleba, who made it into the second round of voting in Banská Bystrice Region, any space in their news reporting until the second round of elections to the chair of the regional councils (the governor) is over.

"Even though the editors of Aktuálně.cz esteem and prize journalistic ethics and values, we believe it is more important to stop the dissemination of intolerance and of opinions calling for a return to the Etatist system of the wartime Slovak state," the editors write in their statement. News server Romea.cz publishes that statement in full translation below:

Aktuálne.sk:  We are not giving space to extremism

Some candidates have won their battles, while others want to keep on fighting. The results of the elections in the Banská Bystrice Region must not go unnoticed.  

During the night of 9 November and the early morning hours of 10 November 2013, something happened that reasonable people cannot ignore. One person who made it into the second round of the battle for a regional governorship wants a Slovakia which might not be for everyone.

During Kristallnacht, precisely on the night of 9 November and in the early morning hours of 10 November 75 years ago, something happened that changed Europe and Germany forever. The repetition of such an event would be devastating. 

Right-wing extremist Marián Kotleba has made it into the second round of the gubernatorial elections in Banská Bystrice Region – his background has been analyzed in an article (in Slovak only, http://aktualne.atlas.sk/vedia-koho-volili-s-kotlebom-sa-spaja-extremizmus-aj-oslava-slovakstatu/slovensko/politika/). Even though the editors of Aktuálně.sk esteem and prize journalistic ethics and values, we believe it is more important to stop the dissemination of intolerance and of opinions calling for a return to the Etatist system of the wartime Slovak state.  

The editors of Aktuálně.sk have decided not to publish any statements by the second-place candidate and will not interview him on any topic until the second round of voting is over. We will therefore be restricting our reporting on the campaign in the Banská Bystrice Region to news items only.   

Jozef Matej, Editor-in-Chief
Jakub Filo, Deputy  Editor-in-Chief
Ondrej Kubovič, reporter
Ladislav Bariak, reporter
Simona Blehová, reporter
Ján Kušnirík, reporter
Martin Erdöfy, sports reporter
Veronika Orviská, editor and sports reporter
Stanislava Harkotová, reporter