According to a court ruling, the termination of journalist Michal Kovačič by Slovakia’s most-watched television station, TV Markíza, was ruled invalid, though the court also ordered the end of his employment relationship with the broadcaster, according to reports by ČTK.
Court Ruling on TV Markíza Dismissal
The first-instance court decision, handed down on Thursday, is not yet legally binding. According to a statement provided to ČTK by TV Markíza’s legal representative Tomáš Kamenec, the court found that Kovačič had indeed breached workplace discipline and that an absolute loss of mutual trust had occurred between the parties. Because of this breakdown in trust, the court ruled that Markíza is not obligated to continue employing Kovačič. However, Kamenec stated that the broadcaster disagrees with the court’s assessment that the disciplinary breach was not severe enough to warrant immediate termination. Kamenec noted that after consultation with his client, the network will consider filing an appeal.
Origins of the Dispute Over Editorial Independence
The legal battle stems from events in May 2024, when Kovačič used a live broadcast of the discussion program Na tělo to criticize management practices at TV Markíza, which is owned by the Czech group PPF and is part of the CME station group alongside Czech TV Nova. During the broadcast, Kovačič warned against what he described as the “orbánization” of Slovak media—referring to potential government control over media institutions modeled after actions taken by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Kovačič had worked at the television station for 16 years.
TV Markíza maintained that the presenter abused television broadcasting and committed a gross violation of workplace discipline. The network asserted at the time that all CME stations operate under the principles of the CME Editorial Board, which mandates objective, impartial, and factual reporting. Zuzana Kovačič Hanzelová, Kovačič’s wife, broke the news of the court verdict on Instagram.
Union Conflict and Subsequent Media Ventures
The termination drew immediate pushback from internal labor representatives. According to TV Markíza’s news trade union, the station’s decision to fire Kovačič—who served as the union’s chairman—violated labor laws because union heads cannot be dismissed without the explicit consent of the labor organization. Following his departure, Kovačič announced plans to challenge the termination in court. He subsequently teamed up with colleagues who also left Markíza to launch a new investigative web portal named 360°, which was funded in part through public crowdfunding campaigns.
Did you know? TV Markíza is part of the Central European Media Enterprises (CME) group, which includes TV Nova in the Czech Republic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the court ruling in Michal Kovačič’s case final?
Why was Michal Kovačič fired by TV Markíza?
TV Markíza terminated Kovačič in June 2024 after he used a live broadcast of the program Na tělo to criticize station management and allege political pressure on the newsroom.
What is the status of Kovačič’s journalism career following his departure?
After leaving TV Markíza, Kovačič and several departing colleagues established a new digital news platform called 360°, utilizing public crowdfunding to launch the project.
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