Seliga Calls on PG to Investigate Recent Shadowing of Journalist

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - Parliamentary Vice-chair Juraj Seliga (For the People) stated on Thursday that he expects Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka to look into published information according to which daily Dennik N reporter Monika Todova was recently shadowed. Seliga claimed that if the prosecutor-general doesn"t start dealing with the case, he"ll file a motion regarding the matter. Seliga spoke of the intimidation of journalists, mentioning the opposition Smer-SD party in this context. According to him, the party aims to discredit journalists for various reasons, with one of them being its concern that controversial entrepreneur Marian K., now convicted in the case of the television channel Markiza promissory notes, will start testifying against Smer. Furthermore, Seliga stated that Smer wants to create the image that the law-enforcement authorities and courts are acting according to political orders. "The question of whether the party is making use of illegal means arises. It should be investigated," he said regarding the shadowing of Todova. Dennik N, which released the story about its reporter being tailed on Wednesday, also reported on the same day that Smer-SD head Robert Fico had sent a commentary to it in which he commented on the fact that Todova and Specialised Criminal Court judge Pamela Zaleska had met in person, mentioning the exact time and place of their meeting and the fact that they went to have themselves tested for COVID-19 together. Meanwhile, Fico claimed that he has no idea as to whether the journalist has been shadowed. He spoke of manipulation by the media and objected to the manner in which the daily released his commentary. The piece focused on various personal relations between journalists and judges. According to Fico, this impacts on the content of reports as well as the decisions of the law-enforcement authorities. Fico argued that similar relations between lawmakers and businessmen who found themselves in legal trouble have automatically led to allegations against such lawmakers by the media. zel/df