Matej Drlička (source: SITA)
On Tuesday morning, Matej Drlička, head of the Slovak National Theatre (SND), opened his door in a dressing gown to find two burly men and a Culture Ministry officer waiting. Without a meeting with Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová (SNS nom.), Drlička received a decree informing him of his dismissal from the position.
Matej Drlička has been dismissed without knowing the reasons why, as the culture minister has not communicated with him.
Drlička’s departure comes shortly after he received a prestigious award in France, a recognition shared with notable figures such as Paulo Coelho, George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and Václav Havel.
On Tuesday evening, Minister Šimkovičová provided an explanation for Drlička’s dismissal via her Telegram account. Among her reasons were multiple instances over the past six months when Drlička had criticised her ministry. Notably, she also attributed responsibility to him for a chandelier that fell during a performance at the national theatre.
The broader management team at the Slovak National Theatre also remains unclear about the reasons for Drlička’s dismissal.
