Slovak National Gallery employees during the Monday press conference. (source: Marko Erd)
On Monday, January 27, a hundred Slovak National Gallery (SNG) employees filed their resignations, with more to come. So far, approximately half of all curators, most of the marketing department staff, as well as members of the dramaturgy board, are among them, reports Sme daily.
Currently, SNG employs 270 people.
"We cannot continue to work in an environment in which laws are violated, basic management principles are ignored and where experts become victims of the Culture Ministry's purposeful decisions," the resigning employees said at a press conference. They added that they view their action as a way to indicate the beginning collapse of the SNG and that they refuse to be part of it. According to them, this is the result of the destructive steps of acting director Jaroslav Niňaj and his predecessors appointed by Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová.
Collapse
This means that from April, digital services and the bookstore will cease to operate, the activities of the art library will be at risk, the gallery's educational and accompanying programs, as well as visitor services will be weakened, reflected in the reduced offer, quality, and comfort of services.
In early January, three foreign institutions withdrew from cooperation with the SNG, a first in its history, which led to the cancellation of an international exhibition slated for March. According to the employees, another international exhibition slated for July will soon be stopped, as well as an educational project for students.
"In terms of internal processes, SNG has already collapsed, the gallery operating solely on the goodwill of its employees," the employees claim.
According to them, Niňaj is ignorant of the regulations, rules and laws that affect the practical operation of the SNG and its financing, among other things.
Losing partners
Niňaj is the third director in six months. Former director Alexandra Kusá was fired last August. Under her leadership, the gallery completed an extensive and long-delayed renovation, which even garnered praise from abroad. The Culture Ministry, led by right-wing nationalist Martina Šimkovičová (SNS nominee), cited "unacceptable conduct" by Kusá during the gallery's renovation as the reason for her dismissal.
The mass resignations began in mid-January with nine key senior employees filing them in protest against what they call incompetent management.
The gallery is also losing partners and sponsors. "Long-term sponsors, who brought large amounts of money to the gallery, did not sign contracts for 2025 or withdrew from the contracts. Tatra banka is no longer the general partner of the SNG," say the employees.
In response to their resignation, the Culture Ministry says that the stability and the continuous operation of SNG will be ensured even in the case of the employees' departure. The ministry respects their opinion, but still urges them to reconsider their decision.
