General Terms and Conditions (GTC) for the use and premium content of the news portal Statement.com

(hereinafter also referred to as "General Terms and Conditions" and/or "GTC")

Introductory provisions

The company, Statement Daily s. r. o., with registered office at Mierové námestie 4, Trenčín 911 01, Company ID (IČO): 44 432 011, registered in the Commercial Register of Trenčín District Court, Section: Sro, Insert No.: 47239/R., e-mail: [email protected] ("Provider") provides content and premium content on the news portal at www.statement.com and on associated subdomains ("Portal"), which is only available to users who meet the conditions of these GTC. 

These GTC govern access to and use of the content as well as the mutual rights and obligations between the Provider and users ("User") in connection with use, registration on the Portal, the conclusion of a digital contract and a subscription contract for the premium content.

1. General provisions 

1.1 A User of the Portal is any natural or legal person who accesses the websites of the Portal (Visitor) and uses the services provided by the Provider. 

1.2 By using the Portal, the User agrees to these GTC and undertakes to comply with them. The rights and obligations of the Provider and all Users of the Portal shall be governed by these GTC. 

1.3 The use of some of the services provided on the Portal does not require registration.  However, registration is required for certain Portal services. 

1.4 The Provider may also offer fee-based services or services with a restricted user group via the Portal (see Article 5). 

1.5 Users can contact the Provider via the contact details provided in the Portal under "Contact" if they have any questions about these GTC.

2. Access to the content of the Portal

2.1 The Provider provides content of a news, journalistic or other journalistic nature on the Portal - e.g. articles, comments, blogs, photos, videos, audiovisual news or podcasts ("Content") - and allows Users to search, retrieve, process and store this Content for private, non-commercial purposes. 

2.2 Standard Content is provided free of charge to all Users without registration.  Selected Content is subject to a fee ("Premium Content") and is only accessible to registered Users with a valid subscription. Further conditions for registration, subscription and access to Premium Content are set out in Article 5. 

2.3 The Provider decides independently which Content belongs to the premium area and to what extent access is restricted for non-registered Users. This decision can be changed unilaterally at any time. Temporary activation of all Content free of charge is also possible, for example for marketing purposes, without affecting existing subscription contracts. 

2.4 As part of its services, the Provider offers to send a newsletter to an e-mail address provided by the User. Registration is voluntary and can be revoked at any time free of charge.

3. Terms of use of the Portal

3.1 The User acknowledges that use of the Portal is at the User's own risk.  To the extent permitted by law, the  Provider shall not be liable for any damage arising from use, whether contractual, tortious or otherwise. 

3.2 The User undertakes to use the Portal and its services in accordance with the applicable laws of the Slovak Republic, the EU, Switzerland and international regulations. 

3.3 The Provider does not guarantee uninterrupted availability or functionality of the Portal.  Access and functions may be restricted, changed or discontinued at any time. 

3.4 The Provider shall not be liable for access problems that are attributable to the technical conditions of the User device or to transmission errors on the Internet. 

3.5 The Portal may offer registered Users (subscribers) the opportunity to publish discussion posts, provided that this function is activated by the Provider. 

3.6 Users may only publish content

(a) for which they have copyrights or the author's permission to publish,
(b) and have all necessary consents to protect personal rights. 

3.7 The respective User is solely responsible for content that Users upload to the Portal.  The Provider is in no way liable for this content. The content must not violate any statutory provisions or these GTC, infringe any third-party rights or contain any vulgar, hateful, aggressive or immoral content. 

3.8 The Provider accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of information in advertisements, commercials or other third-party content. 

3.9 The Provider is entitled to restrict a User's access, remove or block content, especially if it violates the GTC. This does not entitle the subscriber to reclaim any fees paid. 

3.10 The Provider may temporarily suspend its services at any time for security reasons, due to force majeure, official orders or necessary maintenance work, without this constituting a breach of its obligations. Users will be informed of such measures in advance where possible. 

3.11 The Provider may disseminate security or warning-related messages and public notices on behalf of authorities via the Portal. 

3.12 Hyperlinks on the Portal may lead to third-party websites. The Provider accepts no responsibility for their content and gives no assurances regarding the information provided there. 

4. Intellectual property

4.1 Users acknowledge that all Content on the Portal is protected by copyright or other rights. All rights, in particular exploitation rights, are held by the Provider. The Content is intended for private, non-commercial use only.

4.2 Non-premium Content may be copied and publicly distributed for personal, non-commercial purposes, provided that the author, source and a functioning hyperlink are indicated. 

4.3 Any other use - in particular commercial use or use without the written consent of the Provider - is prohibited. 

4.4 By publishing content, the User grants the Provider a non-exclusive, transferable, temporally and geographically unlimited right of use free of charge, in particular for the User's own advertising purposes. The Provider is not obliged to use this content.

5. Premium Content

5.1 Registration and login to the Portal 

5.1.1 Premium Content or parts thereof shall be made available to Users

(i) after registration or
(ii) after payment of a subscription. 

5.1.2 Registration takes place by entering the User's e-mail address in the registration area or when opening Premium Content, with simultaneous consent to these GTC and to the processing of personal data. 

5.1.3 A verification link will be sent to the e-mail address provided. After clicking on it, the address is verified and the User is logged into their personal account. This verification by e-mail takes place each time the User logs in. 

5.1.4 After registration, the User can read a number of premium articles specified by the Provider free of charge. This number can be seen in the Portal. 

5.1.5 For unlimited access, the User must take out a paid subscription in accordance with Article 5.2

5.1.6 The User shall bear full responsibility for the accuracy and currency of the data stored in his/her account and for all activities in his/her account. In the event of unauthorized use, the User must inform the Provider immediately. 

5.1.7 The User’s login credentials are not transferable and may not be passed on to third parties. The User is liable for all damage caused by misuse of his data by third parties. In the event of loss or theft of the login credentials, the User shall inform the Provider, who shall then assign new login credentials and deactivate the old ones. 

5.1.8 In the event of account termination due to violations of the GTC or the law, re-registration may be refused. 

5.1.9 The Provider points out that access to the account cannot be permanently guaranteed , for example during maintenance work. 

5.1.10. The Provider also offers a newsletter. Registration is voluntary and can be canceled free of charge at any time. 

5.2 Premium Content subject to a charge

5.2.1 Premium Content is available to Users for a fee as part of a subscription. This includes: 

a) unrestricted access to standard and Premium Content during the term,
b) comment function under articles.  

5.2.2 The User can choose from the subscription models available on the Portal. 

5.2.3. If payment is made by card, the subscription is automatically renewed until it is deactivated. By making the first payment, the User agrees to automatic subsequent charges

5.2.4 Upon payment, the contract comes into force and the Content and community functions are activated. The consumer expressly waives his right of withdrawal at the start of the digital service provision. 

5.2.5 Invoices are provided in the account or by e-mail. 

5.2.6 Access is tied to the User's individual login credentials. Each contract applies to a specific person - in the case of multiple access, separate contracts must be concluded for each User. 

5.2.7 The Provider decides which Content is premium and can change this at any time, including making it temporarily accessible free of charge, without affecting current subscriptions. 

5.2.8 The Provider may change or discontinue content or services - even without prior notice. This does not give rise to any claim for reimbursement. 

5.3 Responsibility for content published by the User 

5.3.1 If this function is activated, the User may only post content for which he/she holds the rights (copyrights, personal rights). 

5.3.2 The Provider assumes no liability for content published by Users. 

5.3.3 The User undertakes not to post any content that violates laws or these GTC, is vulgar, promotes hatred or violence or offends common decency.

5.4 Legal warranty 

5.4.1 The Provider warrants that the digital service (Content) complies with the contract (Section 852e et seq. of the Civil Code). The service must not infringe the rights of third parties. 

5.4.2 The warranty period is at least two years from provision. 

5.4.3 There is no warranty for 

• Defects outside the period, 
• use contrary to the GTC, 
• improper intervention by third parties, 
• failure to install updates provided despite warning, 
• incompatible software.

5.4.4 Claims: 

a) Correction of defects: free of charge and without significant inconvenience, if possible. 
b) Price reduction or withdrawal from the contract if: 

• defects have not been remedied, 
• rectification was refused, 
• the defect occurs repeatedly, 
• there is a serious defect, 
• rectification is refused.

5.4.5 No rescission in the event of a minor defect or contributory cause. 

5.4.6 The Provider shall provide necessary updates and informs the User about them. Failure to install updates may invalidate the warranty. 

5.5 Complaints process 

5.5.1 The User must complain about defects no later than 2 months after their discovery, but at the latest within the statutory period (2 years). 

5.5.2 The complaint must be made in writing and contain the following information:

• Specification of the product, 
• Description of the defect, 
• contact details,
• proof of payment, 
• desired type of complaint.

5.5.3 The Provider shall confirm receipt of the complaint in writing (also by e-mail). If the complaint is justified, it will be processed within 30 days. 

5.5.4 In the event of a refund, this will be made in the same way as the payment, unless the User agrees to a different method. 

5.5.5 In the event of withdrawal from the contract, all payments will be refunded within 14 days. 

5.5.6 If a complaint is rejected, the User can only make a new complaint on the basis of an expert opinion. If this is granted, the Provider shall bear the costs. 

6. Discussion Codex 

The discussions on the Statement.com website are a space for cultured, stimulating and respectful communication between readers and journalists. The main goal of the discussions is to add more perspectives and information to journalism, to meet intelligent opinions and reasonable people, and to create a safe place for conversation. 

In order for the discussions to work in the best and most effective way, we ask our readers to follow the rules below. 

At the same time, we thank everyone who has chosen to discuss on our website and look forward to your contributions. 

6.1. Conditions for discussion 

Discussions on Statement.com are open to anyone who has created an account on our website - only they can read and participate in the discussions. 

Each reader may only have one discussion account and may only discuss under their real name, surname and with truthfully completed expertise. 

6.2. What is forbidden in the discussions? 

An open, friendly and entertaining exchange of information, opinions and arguments is very important to us. However, mutual respect and an attempt at understanding are the basis of constructive dialog. That is why certain things are forbidden in the discussions on Statement.com. 

Hate. Posts that spread hatred against people based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age or sexual orientation are prohibited. Racist, xenophobic, sexist or homophobic posts, comments that justify or incite violence, fanaticism or intolerance are not permitted. A distinction is made between legitimate criticism of individuals, communities or organizations and inappropriate attacks. 

Personal attacks. All personal attacks, threats and harassment are prohibited.  Discussions can be passionate and exciting, but must always be civilized so that everyone can participate without fear. 

Vulgar language. Vulgar and obscene posts are not permitted. We know that such language can be common among people, but some words hurt others, provoke negative reactions and degrade the quality of the discussion. The discussion should be of such a high standard that even a child can read it without hesitation. 

False statements and untruths. Posts containing false, misleading or incomplete information are prohibited, especially if they could cause harm to other people or groups. 

Infringement of copyrights. Contributions that could infringe copyrights are prohibited. It is forbidden to insert texts whose author is not the discussant him/herself in the length of more than a typical paragraph. Discussants should cite sources.

Posts that are off-topic. Discussions can develop in different directions , but contributions that have nothing or very little to do with the topic of the article are prohibited. 

Spam. It is forbidden to flood discussions with multiple identical posts or posts with the same content. Posts that do not advance the discussion and mainly contain advertising for websites are also prohibited. Highlighting with graphics or writing in CAPITAL LETTERS is not permitted. Advertising for products, services or companies is prohibited. 

Illegal content. Discussants must comply with laws and other legal regulations.  Discussions may not be used for the dissemination of defamatory, obscene or other unlawful material. This includes, for example, child pornography, information about illegal drugs, instructions for copyright infringement, etc. 

6.3. What happens if we discover rule violations? 

Posts that violate these rules will be hidden or deleted. 

In the case of serious or repeated violations, all posts by the discussant may be hidden or the account blocked. In exceptional cases, the possibility of discussion may also be restricted for users who do not break these rules directly, but who hinder a polite and objective discussion in the long term. 

In the event of suspected breaches of the law, the editorial team may inform the police. The author of the contribution bears full responsibility for ensuring that the content does not violate the law. 

If a false identity is suspected, all posts by the discussant may be hidden until the discussant credibly confirms their personal details. 

6.4. Further recommendations 

Discussions are most useful when they provide new, relevant information and arguments. Discussants who have not read the article but still want to express their opinion, or those who condemn journalists or other discussants instead of discussing the topic, are not helpful. If you just want to give us a hint, please write to the editorial team or directly to the author. 

Criticism and feedback are welcome, but every opinion should be backed up with factual arguments. Express criticism constructively. Let's try together to find lessons, solutions and ways out of the discussion alongside criticism and polemics. 

It is important that everyone understands the discussion and can participate. We therefore only accept contributions in English. Quotations (up to a typical paragraph) can remain in the original, but we recommend a translation into  English. 

Remember that people can sometimes misunderstand you. Write clearly, but be prepared for others to take your words differently than you intended. Even then, everyone should remain respectful, choose an appropriate tone, strive for understanding and accept different opinions.

The subscribers to Statement.com  are intelligent, educated, fair and entertaining people.  The discussions under the articles are a space where this can be expressed, where we can enrich each other and learn new things. 

In the event of serious or repeated violations, all posts by a discussant may be hidden or the account may be blocked for 30 days. If the offense is repeated, the account may be blocked permanently. In exceptional cases, users who do not break the rules directly but who disrupt the discussion in the long term may also be banned from discussing. 

Blocking posts does not affect the subscription; reading the articles remains possible without restriction. 

Discussions on Statement.com can be enriching for everyone - and everyone can contribute.  If you find any problems in the discussions, please report them at [email protected]. Thank you. 

7 . Out-of-court dispute resolution 

The User may settle disputes arising from the digital contract out of court in accordance with Act No. 108/2024 Coll. e.g. via the Slovak Trade Inspectionhttps://www.soi.sk/sk/alternativne-riesenie-spotrebitelskych-sporov.soi

The EU online dispute resolution platform is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr

The competent contact center for online dispute resolution is the European Consumer Center Slovakia, Mlynské nivy 44/A, 827 15 Bratislava, https://esc-sr.sk 

8. Complaints and out-of-court dispute resolution 

Complaints can be submitted via [email protected]. The Provider will inform the User by e-mail about their processing.

9. Data protection 

The Provider processes personal data for provision, registration and contract fulfillment in accordance with the GDPR (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) and the Slovak Data Protection Act No. 18/2018 Z.z. and for Switzerland in accordance with the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP) and the Data Protection Ordinance. 

Further information can be found in the privacy policy . Information on the use of cookies on the Portal is contained in the Cookie Policy, which is part of the privacy policy.

10. Final provisions 

10.1 All legal relationships in connection with the use of the Portal shall be governed by the laws of the Slovak Republic to the extent permitted by law. 

10.2 Either party may terminate the contract at the end of the current subscription period - by notifying the other party by e-mail.

10.3 Should any provision be invalid, the rest of the GTC shall remain valid. The invalid provision shall be replaced by a provision that is as equivalent as possible. 

10.4 These GTC are governed by the Slovak Civil Code and the Consumer Protection Act No. 108/2024 Coll. 

10.5 The Provider is entitled to change these GTC at any time at its own discretion - in particular due to technical developments, legal changes or other operational requirements. The currently valid version will be published on the website of the Portal. Users will be notified of any changes regarding the Premium Content provisions at least 30 days in advance. Users who do not agree may withdraw from the contract. 

10.6 The current GTC can be viewed on the Portal and at the Provider's registered office. 

These GTC are valid from 10.10.2025.