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Rusyns handed over a Petition aimed at solving problems in Rusyn radio
broadcasting
The Never-Ending Problem of Rusyn Radio
Broadcasting
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Rusyns handed over a Petition aimed at solving problems in Rusyn
radio broadcasting
• On May 13th, 2008 Fedor Vico,
the Chairman of the Petition Committee (on the left) handed over
a Petition of Citizens, Listeners of Rusyn Broadcasting on
Slovak Radio to D. Čaplovič, the Deputy
Prime Minister of the Government of
the Slovak Republic for Human Rights and Minorities
(second from the right). This petition had
been signed by 3 406 people who, in this way, expressed their
discontent over the present state of the broadcasting.
Consequently, F. Vico and P. Krajňák Jr. (on the right) lead a
constructive discussion with D. Čaplovič and M. Jančulová, the
Head of the Department for Human Rights and Minorities.
On May 13th, 2008, members of the Petition Committee
handed over petition sheets with signatures of listeners of
Rusyn broadcasting at the Government Office of the Slovak
Republic with a request to improve the content quality of
minority programmes and how the signal is broadcast. At the same
time, they met with Dušan Čaplovič, the Deputy Prime Minister
who is in charge of National Minorities.
At a press conference, Fedor Vico and Peter Krajňák Jr., members
of petition committee, announced that the petition had been
signed by 3 406 citizens.
„At the meeting, Mr Čaplovič promised to personally take an
active role in trying to solve the technological issue of
covering the Rusyn region with the Radio Patria signal. He also
promised to call an extraordinary meeting of the Slovak
Government Council for Minorities and representatives of Slovak
radio to, in detail, discuss the issue of minority broadcasting
not only on Slovak Radio but also Slovak Television. Mr
Čaplovič’s announcement about establishing a detached branch in
Prešov
for Rusyn broadcasting editors also sounded promising,“ said
Peter Krajňák Jr. at the very beginning of the discussion.
„Since November 1989, Rusyns have been permanently fighting for
their rights in the area of radio broadcasting. Whether it was
Bobok, Kallay, Tužinský,
Rezník or Zemková, there was always someone to try and stop,
restrict or change it. We could never influence these changes.
Through the prism of saving finances such measures have always
been taken which mostly affected the public service users –
Rusyn listeners,“ Fedor Vico told journalists in a brief account
of the past.
„Using the example of the enforcement of Rusyn rights, try and
help to make sense of the cliché our politicians often use about
the above-standard rights of minorities in Slovakia. Surely, it
would be interesting to, in a complex way, judge the position of
Rusyns or Slovaks in Hungary with the situation of Rusyns in
Slovakia,“ Ján Lipinský challenged the journalists in attendance
in a short contemplation.
At the press conference, other issues connected to minority
broadcasting were mentioned. Now it is up to those in charge,
radio leadership, the radio council, as well as the Slovak
Government to immediately start solving these issues. It may
seem paradoxical but, at the press conference, there was no
representative of Slovak Radio.
• PhDr. Anna Plišková, Ph. D. in charge of governing the newly
established Institute of Rusyn Language and Culture, University
of Prešov
• Prof. RNDr. René Matlovič, Ph.D., the rector of the University
of Prešov
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The Never-Ending Problem of Rusyn Radio
Broadcasting
At one of
the recent meetings of the Coordination Committee of the Rusyn Revival
in Slovakia, where I was invited, it was decided that the material
regarding the comments on Rusyn radio
broadcasting, which, in 2003 – 2005, I sent to the bodies and
representatives in charge, will be assessed and, consequently, in the
original or a shortened version supported and
sent to the Radio Committee, the General Director of the Slovak Radio (SRo)
and other people in charge.
I have to
emphasise that a new structure of SRo broadcasting is due by the end of
2006. However, after it has been introduced and put in practice, it will
be very difficult to push our demands forward. That is why it is
necessary to deal with it as soon as possible.
I would
also like to point out one of the comments I handed to Mr Vladimir
Protivnak, the Chairman of the Rusyn Revival in Slovakia (RRS) on May 4th,
2006. It was a request for participation of Rusyns on the Radio
Committee, as we have no opportunity to influence the composition of
the programme or to comment on the matters as they happen. Others decide
about us in our absence; and it can easily happen that in the future we
will not be present at all!
I would
also like to reiterate that the Slovak Radio broadcasts advertisements
about the sale of the former building of the SRo on Bastova Street in
Prešov. I am asking the Rusyn Revival in Slovakia in cooperation with
other Rusyn organisations to pronounce their interest in the building.
Apart from Rusyn broadcasting (after it has moved back from Kosice),
it could, in the future, function as the residence of the Alexander
Dukhnovich Theatre, the Rusyn Museum, the RRS, Rusyn editorial offices,
the World Congress of Rusyns, etc.
If, at the
following meeting of the Coordination Committee of the RRS, a RRS
Media Committee is constituted, I am ready to accept
membership in it if I am nominated as a member.
I proclaim
that soon I will put together a Petition Committee (which I was
the Head of in 2001), so that we could, in this way, support our demands
with regard to the Radio, which has, for quite a long time, been ignored
by the leadership of the Slovak Radio and the Radio Committee...
Fedor
VICO,
former
Chairman of the Petition Committee for the Rusyn Radio Broadcasting
(Edited and
Shortened by A. Z., the complete article entitled „Nekonečnyj
problem rusîn´skoho rozhlasovoho vysylaňa“ (The Never-Ending Problem of
the Rusyn Broadcasting) can, in the Rusyn version, be found on our
website, in the column ROZHLAS (RADIO).)
October
25th, 2006
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