Matovič’s inappropriate statement on the radio: He’s going to put some journalists down! What about the experts? – Topky.sk

archive video Recently, the Minister of Finance Igor Matovič, who was unsuccessfully dismissed in the parliament, was a guest on the show Braňo Závodský Live. In addition to current economic and political topics, a discussion was also opened about Matovič’s recent and sharp statement directly from the plenary session of the parliament. Behind the podium, he declared: “Two and a half years of struggle, unfortunately, also with the support of corrupt media or media in the hands of oligarchs, or with the support of articles written by corrupt journalists, because, let’s face it, today you can rent a journalist for a month for five hundred, who will write well about you.” Later on in the show, Matovič explained that his words were said to have been taken out of context, which was supposed to be confirmed by an apology under his status directly from the editor-in-chief of Denník N, Matúš Kostolný. Rather, the latter allegedly mistakenly stated that Matovič meant that “all” journalists could be bought for 500 euros per month. Evil is defined – progressive and liberal-minded journalists The head of OĽaNO tried to correct his unfortunate statements from the parliament on Radio Expres. “Several editors-in-chief, editors or commentators in the key media in Slovakia suffer from such moral superiority. Personally, they are liberals, they are progressives and they express themselves, I regret it many times, about conservative-minded people as inferior. But the fact,” he said with a raised voice to the moderator Závodský former prime minister. “I said several, I never generalized. I always said that there are such people,” added Matovič. “I’ll tell you just one example, look at the key SME commentator Tkačenko, how he addressed Sima Martausová (now Magušinová, editor’s note), because she is a Christian. That was defamation of Christianity,” Matovič ran away from the topic. Photo gallery (6) Source: Topky/Vlado Anjel “I was deafened by the silence from the key editors, after these insults from the mouth of the key editor. Then there is the question of whether people want to be such liberals, whether they want to be progressive-minded,” he mentioned again these two entities Matovič. I will take them down gradually, Matovič promises. Matovič’s statements from the parliament were literally bothering him at that moment, so Závodský reminded Matovič of them. “You said that for 500 euros you can buy a journalist today. You are talking about the fact that it is today. Who is it about? Reveal the names,” the moderator drew an answer from Matovič. “I’m taking this as a public order and I’m going to take them down one by one. Okay?” was heard in the studio, while Závodský himself was startled after these words. “Thank you very much. You are a sweetheart. It sounds like you are looking forward to taking revenge on someone. I will remind you of one thing. There used to be a program on the internet called Na pranieri (former show of the convicted Marian Kočner, editor’s note),” he told the politician sarcastically Racing. Kočner was also interested in journalists As for Marian Kočner, we will only briefly remind you that in the summer of 2018 he had the infamous Internet show Na pranieri. Today, Kočner has already been sentenced for the promissory note case in the case of Markíza television. Kočner published several volumes before he ended up in custody. In several of them, some characters from the Slovak journalistic community appeared, whom he followed and “plundered”. Kočner also appears as the main character in the case of the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová. Photo gallery (6) Source: Facebook/Na pranieri After the death of journalist Ján Kuciak, even other, terrifying pictures from his private life appeared, which were supposed to testify that Kuciak was also under the gaze of the followers. The show was supposed to have several episodes, but shortly after its launch, Kočner was detained and prosecuted. Photo gallery (6) The Italian television station Rai 1 published footage from the surveillance of Ján Kuciak.
Source: Reprofoto/rai.it Matovič often mentions Kuciak as an example of exemplary journalists, who are said to be few and far between in Slovakia. In the session with Závodský, he mentioned that he feels that he is often the target of criticism. “You’re right, I’ve been feeling this way for two and a half years,” Matovič indirectly used the title of Kočner’s show. It is my duty to name if someone is knowingly spreading lies, says the head of OĽaNO “Do you feel like Marian Kočner? Marian Kočner founded this portal to track journalists with a clear goal. Are you interested in following journalists?” Závodský asked just to be sure. “My duty, and in my opinion your duty, is to say that when some journalists manipulate the facts and spread lies and people are embarrassed and stop reading the medium, we should name it,” Matovič declared out loud. “Many people also write to me in private messages messages like “Many journalists have already gone too far with this hatred towards you”, simply endlessly spreading lies, but those people are not stupid. People then go to social networks and then go to social networks and they believe in hoaxes,” concluded the Minister of Finance. Matovič has already crossed so many red lines that it is no longer even shocking. Regarding this interview, we also contacted political scientist Michal Cirner. First, he answered the question whether his statement about the journalists he would “take down” was not over the line. “Since his entry into big politics in 2010, Igor Matovič has already crossed several red lines and has greatly contributed to lowering the already low “bar” of political culture in Slovakia. We can talk about his “performances” in the parliament (for example, throwing syringes at a colleague Martin Poliačika), the secret recording of political colleagues (Radoslav Procházka) or about running the government via Facebook and arguments via Facebook,” the political scientist quickly recalls. “I think that Mr. Matovič has a talent for spreading chaos, disruption and twisting the meaning of words. He is not that original in his attacks on journalists. He only took over what he had already learned from other Slovak politicians, for example from Mr. Fico and the like,” he continues . Photo gallery (6) Source: Topky/Vlado Anjel He feels hurt by public criticism and stomps or kicks Cirner also explained where Matovič’s strong words come from. “As a “proper” Slovak politician, he also feels hurt when the media write about him in negative connotations. He positions himself in the role of a victim and probably believes that the media is biased and unfriendly towards him. However, this means that he has blinders on. , he does not perceive reality and has no self-reflection to admit mistakes and errors. This is how he just stomps and kicks, which is infantile and unworthy of an adult, even in a high state position,” states Cirner. Cirner sometimes assumes that Matovič will now focus on exposing and convicting the lies of the journalists themselves. “But that won’t happen, he’ll lose his taste for this topic and he’ll pick up another topic on the pulse of the day,” Cirner predicts a more likely scenario. “Mainly, it is a message for his sympathizers and voters not to believe the media when they write something bad about Matovič,” concludes the political scientist. Aftermath on Facebook, Matovič did not miss the opportunity to comment on the whole interview in the traditional way – via status. “We ended up with him challenging me to publish specific journalists who can be bought. So I immediately accepted the direct challenge and said that I will take down corrupt journalists one by one. Just as I once took down from Ruttkay’s position and since then he has not needlessly tarnished the name of the journalistic state,” Matovič clarified his statement. Photo gallery (6) Source: Facebook/Igor Matovic It’s an act of desperation, another expert thinks. Another political scientist, Juraj Marušiak, also commented on the interview. “I think that this is a sign of desperation on Matovič’s part. If he thinks that this can appeal to Smer voters, then I am sure that even similar statements will not help him. But personally, I do not think that he is “pursuing something” with these statements, rather he is it’s a sign of desperation and nervousness from the fact that he can’t maintain “his” government for the second time in a row and he knows he won’t get a third chance,” Marušiak explains Matovič’s statement on Wednesday. According to Marušiak, with such statements to journalists, he not only presented himself as an authoritative politician, but also lost any moral legitimacy to govern. “In other words, he owes his party’s victory in the elections to the mobilization of society, which followed the murder of the journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancee. For this reason alone, expressions such as “putting down” a journalist can have a very unpleasant flavor. Even Smer politicians did not allow themselves to use similar expressions , although they did not hide their aversion to individual media and journalists. So yes, Matovič’s statements, reminiscent of the rhetoric of the mafia, are over the line, and it is even more “over the line” when he builds his popularity on the fight against the mafia in one breath. Moreover, it is serious, that he speaks like that as a deputy prime minister, i.e. a representative of the state and to journalists who are closer to the opposite political camp in opinion,” thought Marušiak.