The former general director of the Nova Scena theatre was named Movement for a Democratic Slovakia's (HZDS) shadow Minister of Culture last week as the first step in an effort by the opposition party to create a "shadow" government cabinet.
The purpose of the shadow cabinet is to monitor, comment upon, and criticise the performance of the government-appointed deputies in their posts, HZDS officials said. HZDS Deputy Olga Keltosova said that former prime minister Vladimír Mečiar would take the post of shadow prime minister.
As shadow culture minister, HZDS deputy Jariabek said he would seek solutions to the most serious issues that trouble the cultural community in Slovakia, including the recent closure of some musical institutions and the splitting up of some theatres. He criticized the government culture minister, Milan Kňažko, for not presenting a complex plan for culture management or a comprehensive funding plan for the sector.
HZDS media representative Rudolf Žiak said he would introduce other members of the shadow cabinet by June 26.
