Speaking to TVP World, Rast’o Kužel, a media and election expert for MEMO 98, called it “a black day for independent public media,” before adding that there was no evidence that RTVS had shown any previous political bias. “You’ve got to question the rationale,” he said.

Over 1,200 RTVS staff have signed a letter of petition protesting the move, with many employees taking to the streets to voice their anger. “This level of rebellion is unprecedented from journalists,” said Kužel.

Slovakia’s government has drawn comparisons to Poland’s own cull of state media in December, though this has been met with widespread bemusement. “It’s cynical for them to use this comparison,” said Kužel, “because in the case of Poland’s TVP that was a propaganda channel [before the new government’s changes].”

Piotr Kaczyński of the Geremek foundation, an NGO seeking to promote ‘European values’, warned of the implications of the latest developments. “This is kind of Orwellian,” he said. “As whoever controls the media, controls the public.”