"I can say I'm halfway satisfied," RTVS general manager Marko Filli told MMC after the vote, adding: "I'm glad TV Slovenia got a new director who can go to work tomorrow and put her plans into action. I really feel for Andrej Šavko, though, who is an excellent editor and would make an excellent director."

Filli said the reason Šavko got even fewer votes than last time around was that his opponents launched a vigorous campaign against him. According to Filli, his opponents did not consider Šavko a problem per se, it was more about preserving the status quo.

Šavko: I don't regard this as a personal defeat
"I'm glad a new TV director has been appointed because they have more urgent matters to attend to than Radio Slovenia," Šavko said after the vote. He, too, believes that he was not a controversial candidate, adding that it was more about the pressure from his opponents, who want someone else to fill that position, "I don't consider this a personal defeat, although I am disappointed."

Ljerka Bizilj was more satisfied. She will become the new director of TV Slovenia, and will have to get to work soon. "First, I will have a meeting with my co-workers, we will put our heads together, and look at our programme schedule for the remainder of this year. It needs an overhaul, and we have to see whether there is anything we need to change," she said.

Bizilj: We need to be credible and interesting
Bizilj stressed in her presentation that a high-quality news programme was a vital priority, even though it is facing some increasingly strong competition. However, she is convinced that RTVS could still improve its cultural, children's and educational programme. She also highlighted the importance of local news coverage, "There are many things going on in Slovenia that don't get any TV time."

Luka Lukič, MMC; translated by D.V.