Hungary's shadow over Slovenia - How foreign money is eroding press freedom
Europe's borders are porous – not only for goods and people, but also for political agendas. The Slovenian media landscape is increasingly influenced from the outside, above all by a country that systematically uses media power as a political instrument: Hungary. The export of the Orbán model is already a reality.
Fidesz money for Slovenian party media
According to EU calculations, at least €1.5 million flowed from Hungarian companies with ties to the Fidesz party to Slovenia. The aim: to build a comprehensive media network to benefit the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) of Prime Minister Janez Janša – a close political ally of Viktor Orbán.
This money wasn't used for an open media market or independent reporting. It was deliberately used for propaganda – especially during election campaigns. The source of the funds is particularly noteworthy: construction companies that are themselves largely financed by EU subsidies. Thus, European taxpayers' money is indirectly circulating in a political project that relies on disinformation and manipulation of public opinion.
Media power as a strategic investment
The media network created through these means comprises two television channels, a central online portal, and approximately 20 regional platforms. Their messages are similar: national strength, anti-migration rhetoric, distrust of the EU, and attacks on liberal positions. The tone is aggressive, polarizing, and employs targeted enemy images.
These portals act like an echo chamber, picking up narratives, amplifying them, and disseminating them deeply within the population. The goal is not journalistic diversity, but ideological mobilization in line with the SDS – and thus indirectly with the Fidesz party. Critics speak of an "Orbánization" of the media landscape.
The subtle danger of localization
What makes this strategy particularly effective is that the influence doesn't come in the form of foreign intervention, but rather through local media outlets with a regional focus. The public often fails to recognize that political control lies behind these seemingly harmless portals. The effect is gradual, but lasting.
Similar to platforms like the Austrian portal Unzensuriert , these media outlets use emotionally charged language to stoke fears and resentments. The result is an information environment that increasingly crowds out critical, fact-based journalism.
Mladina as a bulwark against erosion
Amidst this development, there are also glimmers of hope. First and foremost is the left-liberal weekly magazine Mladina , which has stood for investigative depth and a clear stance for decades. The editorial team sees itself as a guardian of democracy – independent, courageous, and often challenging.
The ownership structure protects the magazine from political interference: it belongs to Slovenian minority organizations in Italy. This ensures its financial stability and allows it to maintain a consistent paywall model. The underlying philosophy: quality journalism costs money – and shouldn't be consumed for free.
Mladina focuses on entire issues, not individual articles. Illustrations, design, and editorial style combine to create a cohesive product that is unique in Slovenia. For many young journalists, Mladina both a role model and a source of inspiration.
Online media under pressure
Besides Mladina, there are other journalistically ambitious projects. The online medium "N1 online," for example, offers up-to-the-minute, in-depth reporting. Smaller investigative formats like "Nesrin Soriano" or "Dnes online" also attempt to create a counter-public sphere in the digital realm. But the market is difficult: many platforms are poorly funded, subscription models are hardly effective, and advertising alone is not enough.
Furthermore, some new portals that appear progressive at first glance turn out, upon closer inspection, to be financed in an opaque manner – or controlled by political factions. The line between independent journalism and strategic opinion-making is blurring.
Europe reacts – hesitantly
The export of the Orbán model to EU countries like Slovenia raises fundamental questions: How do you protect press freedom within a union of states when individual governments are deliberately working to undermine it? The EU has begun to react – for example, with new funding models for local media to circumvent state control.
In the long term, however, more than technical solutions are needed. What's needed is a societal awareness of how media can be manipulated – and what responsibility democracies have to defend against these attacks.
Conclusion: The silent war for public opinion
The Slovenian media landscape exemplifies a silent but dangerous war for public opinion. It is not fought with tanks, but with headlines, algorithms, and money flows. And it demonstrates that democracy doesn't begin on election day – it begins with the information upon which decisions are based.