Gustáv Murín. (source: TASR)
Unrest is mounting over the leadership of Gustáv Murín, director of the Slovak Literary Centre (SLC), amid accusations of unprofessional conduct, ties to conspiracy platforms, and behaviour that has damaged Slovakia’s cultural reputation abroad.
Following repeated complaints from SLC staff to Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová—citing threats, intimidation, and escalating verbal aggression—figures from the broader cultural and literary community have now intervened.
A group of prominent writers, publishers and translators have written an open letter to President Peter Pellegrini, urging him to take action and calling for Murín’s immediate dismissal.
The controversy intensified after Murín’s appearance last week at the Svět knihy Praha 2025 international book fair in Prague. Representing the SLC in an official capacity, Murín reportedly used his public platform to insult former Czech president Václav Havel—calling him “a puppet of world powers”—and likened feminism to totalitarianism. He also made disparaging remarks about individuals present at the event.
SLC employees, in a letter to the Ministry of Culture, said Murín “damaged the good name” of the institution, the Slovak cultural community, and the country itself.
Unwelcome presence
The director of the Prague book fair, Radovan Auer, subsequently wrote to Minister Šimkovičová, stating that Murín’s future participation would not be welcome. The letter, published by the Open Culture! platform, noted that while Slovak writers had previously contributed positively to the event and bilateral relations, Murín's conduct had been “offensive and meaningless”.
“Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about the short visit of the current director of the Slovak Literary Centre,” Auer wrote. “His statements during the fair and in the media have offended many citizens of the Czech Republic, including myself.”
Auer emphasised that freedom of speech and open discussion remain core values of the fair, but added: “Mr Murín’s statements, made as the official and highest-ranking Slovak representative at the event, were inappropriate. I believe they do not reflect the official stance of your ministry.”
At the same time, he praised SLC employees for representing Slovak literature with professionalism and urged that they, not Murín, continue to serve as the country’s cultural ambassadors.
Media clash
A video of the incident, published by Czech weekly Respekt, further fuelled the backlash. Murín later sent an e-mail to Respekt editor-in-chief Erik Tabery urging him not to release the footage. In subsequent correspondence, which Tabery published, Murín insulted journalist Ivana Svobodová and threatened legal action.
During the event, Svobodová had questioned whether Murín’s personal worldview would influence the SLC’s direction, citing his history of publishing on conspiracy websites.
According to SLC staff, foreign partners and colleagues have been left both “dumbfounded and outraged” by Murín’s statements, often asking whether they reflect official Slovak policy.
Speaking to Sme, Murín described the situation as a “targeted media attack” and claimed that the incident was symptomatic of a broader issue: “This situation only proves the aggression in society, which experts already point to, and which is artificially caused by the practices of some media,” he said.
Inspectorate findings ignored
Concerns about Murín’s leadership are not new. In February, SLC employees filed complaints describing a workplace culture of bullying, stress and autocratic management. At the time, the Culture Ministry expressed support for Murín.
However, a subsequent investigation in April by the ministry’s own inspectorate found the complaints to be justified, citing violations of the Labour Code, internal work regulations, and ethical standards.
Despite these findings, Minister Šimkovičová has taken no further action. Cultural figures now argue that only presidential intervention may bring about accountability.
