Signing the STA Contract: "This government guarantees financial independence and journalistic autonomy"

23. 12. 2024

Government Communication Office

The Director of the Government Communication Office (UKOM), Petra Bezjak Cirman, and the Director of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA), Mojca Prelesnik, signed the Contract for the public service of STA in 2025, both expressing their satisfaction that the smooth operation of STA will be guaranteed.

Two women sit at a table, each signing their own papers. — Mojca Prelesnik and Petra Bezjak Cirman sign the Contract at UKOM | Author Government Communication Office

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The value of the annual Contract for 2025 is EUR 2,844,091, and relative to this year's Contract is EUR 447,091 higher, or up by 18.6%. The increase will allow STA to invest adequately in information security, to increase staff salaries in line with inflation and the salary levels of comparable media, to invest in equipment upgrades and to further develop digitalisation.

"This fully follows the business plan adopted by the Supervisory Board, as also stipulated by the Slovenian Press Agency Act. This government guarantees financial independence and adequate funding, and I hope also full journalistic autonomy, so that STA can operate smoothly and not like in previous years under another government," the UKOM Director said at the conclusion of the Contract.

"We at STA are pleased that the government has recognised our need for additional funding to allow STA to function as normally as possible and to provide a public service, which is, after all, the mission of the Slovenian Press Agency. However, the request has already been formulated according to the net cost principle, which is the principle required by the Court of Auditors. This method is also to be introduced in the new Slovenian Press Agency Act, as this is a requirement of the European Commission," the STA Director explained in expressing her satisfaction at the signing of the Contract.

As in the current year, the monthly payments in the next year will not be tied to the counting of news items. Instead, the Contract provides for twelve equal monthly payments of EUR 237,007 each.

In accordance with the Slovenian Press Agency Act, the STA provides a public service of continuous, comprehensive, accurate and objective coverage of events in Slovenia and around the world to meet the needs of both domestic and foreign audiences. As stipulated in paragraph one of Article 20 of the Slovenian Press Agency Act, the STA is also funded by allocations from the state budget. These funds are provided on the basis of an annual Contract between the STA and its founder. It is the duty of the Slovenian Government, which exercises the company member rights on behalf of the Republic of Slovenia, to ensure the STA's institutional autonomy, editorial independence and adequate funding for the comprehensive and seamless provision of its public service, based on the STA's annual business plan.