Czech newspaper editors appeal to Slovak president over new press law

The editors in chief of five of the Czech Republic’s biggest newspapers have sent a joint letter to Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič, calling on him not to sign a controversial press law recently passed by the Slovak parliament. Last week Slovakia’s seven leading dailies published a blank front page in protest against the law, which guarantees those who feel they have been slandered or defamed the right to reply within the offending paper. In the letter of protest, editors of five leading Czech publications said that this was pushing an individual’s right to reply to absurd lengths. The law has also been criticized elsewhere in the foreign media and by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Many fear that Slovak newspapers, which will be fined should they refuse to print the response to their article, will become cluttered up with individuals’ reactions and therefore difficult to read. The law will come into effect when it is officially signed by President Ivan Gašparovič.