Hello. Here is theThursday, August 15 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Minister and her ally spread misinformation
Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová and Lukáš Machala, chief of staff at the ministry, during their press statement in Bratislava on August 15, 2024. (source: SITA)
Just days after protests erupted in response to her controversial actions, Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová appeared before reporters on Thursday. Accompanied by her pro-Putin right-hand man, Lukáš Machala, she disseminated misleading and false information and launched an attack on the Milan Šimečka Foundation, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to building a more open and tolerant Slovakia.
Šimkovičová is known not only for her homophobic statements but also for her criticism of refugees, whom she claims are “eroding Slovak identity”.
In their statement, which did not allow for questions from journalists, the duo focused on the foundation and its finances, which it received from the state over the past four years, as well as on what they described as an “atypical” contract with the Slovak Arts Council (FPU). Until recently, the FPU was an independent financial instrument for supporting cultural projects, but as of August, the Culture Ministry gained greater control over it—a similar situation has arisen with the Audiovisual Fund.
“FPU has become something of a cash cow for the Milan Šimečka Foundation. I was surprised by this information,” the minister remarked, criticising the duration of the contract and the timing of its signing.
How the duo misled the public
The foundation acknowledged receiving €254,300 from the fund over the past four years, along with nearly €165,000 from three ministries, including the Culture Ministry. However, the foundation rejected the claim that its three-year contract for the multicultural project fjúžn (The Slovak Spectator regularly collaborates with the foundation on the project., ed.), which has been bridging Slovaks and foreigners in Slovakia for 19 years, was in any way irregular. The Slovak Arts Council also supported the foundation. The foundation noted that 10 other organisations have also secured similar long-term contracts this year.
The criticised contract was signed at the end of July, just days before the ministry gained more influence over the fund. However, the project itself was approved in December 2023, and the foundation has yet to receive any funds.
“We fear that the Culture Ministry is unlawfully attempting to reverse the financial fulfilment of the contract,” said Veronika Fishbone-Vlčková, director of the Milan Šimečka Foundation.
The foundation also refuted claims that the state funds benefited the prominent family of opposition leader Michal Šimečka, who is the grandson of the late author and dissident Milan Šimečka. The foundation was established by the writer’s friends in the nineties. The politician sarcastically congratulated Machala and Šimkovičová on their “investigation” and stressed that his family has no ties to the Milan Šimečka Foundation.
Šimečka offered this analogy: “Mozart does not make Mozart Balls ( small, spherical chocolates filled with marzipan, pistachio and nougat, ed.), Gustave Eiffel doesn’t collect entry fees for the Eiffel Tower, and the numerous Hodža Squares and Štúr Streets across Slovakia are not owned by the descendants of politician and writer Ľudovít Štúr and politician Milan Hodža. Likewise, the Milan Šimečka Foundation has nothing to do with me or the Slovak opposition.”
“Stop embarrassing yourselves more and more,” he added.
Machala, who frequently spreads disinformation on social media, claimed that the foundation’s activities are not in the best interest of Slovak citizens and contribute to the “destabilisation of the political situation in Slovakia.” He also questioned whether people in the regions are even aware of the Milan Šimečka Foundation. In fact, the foundation organises events across the country, including regional editions of the fjúžn festival.
“Anyone who has examined these contracts will see clearly that the Slovak Arts Council is not a cash cow for the foundation but is intended to support public-benefit activities,” Fishbone-Vlčková added, calling on the pair to apologise.
Attack on MP Jaurová
During the statement, Machala and Šimkovičová also accused opposition MP and cultural manager Zora Jaurová of being one of the many experts who have decided on projects within the Slovak Arts Council up until now—a claim that is not entirely true.
Jaurová, who is a vocal critic of the minister, last served as a decision-maker in February 2023, before she became an MP. Additionally, MPs can serve as members of the FPU’s expert committees.
Anonymous open letter
Šimkovičová, who just hours before her statement had again ignored a parliamentary committee on culture and media, also presented a letter purportedly from anonymous employees of the National Theatre’s opera department, complaining about the “practices” of the opera director.
“They urged me to prevent the decline in the artistic quality of the opera,” Šimkovičová claimed.
Both the opera orchestra and chorus distanced themselves from this anonymous open letter on Thursday.
The minister fired the head of the National Theatre for alleged managerial failures last week.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
Motorways: The National Highway Company (NDS) has announced the long-awaited tender for the final stretch of the D1 motorway—but don’t get too excited.
Music: Robert Jindra, the chief conductor of the Košice State Philharmonic, has resigned from his position just several days after publicly criticising Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová.
History: Born of Slovak heritage in what is now Serbia, Milan Michal Harminc built over 171 structures in Slovakia alone.
Bratislava:Explore Bratislava Castle in English. No reservation is needed!
If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription with no ads and a print copy of The Slovak Spectator sent to your home in Slovakia. Thank you.
FEATURE STORY
Former bodybuilding champion hits rock bottom
Adam Cibuľa, the bodybuilder aged 50. (source: Sme)
Adam Cibuľa, a former bodybuilding champion, has been homeless for several years, struggling to get by after his marriage ended. Once focused on perfecting his physique for competitions, he now spends his days begging for money and food.
Top 10 events in Bratislava
Dancing underneath Bratislava Castle
House of the Good Shepherd (source: The Slovak Spectator Archive)
Celebrate freedom at Devín Castle, don’t miss the action at National Football Stadium, and experience sci-fi thrills at Kino Film Europe. Check out the latest event picks in Bratislava!
IN OTHER NEWS
The popular Polish discount store chain Biedronka, which has been preparing to enter the Slovak retail market for almost a year, has now revealed that it will open its first five stores in Levice, Nové Zámky, Považská Bystrica, Senica and Zvolen.
Bratislava’s outdoor swimming pools, managed by the Administration of Sports and Recreational Facilities (STaRZ), will have extended opening hours until 20:00 during extreme heatwaves. The organisation manages the Rosnička pool in Dúbravka, the Lamač pool, the Tehelné pole pool in Nové Mesto, the Delfín pool in Ružinov, the Rača and Krasňany pools in Rača, the natural swimming area at Zlaté piesky in Ružinov, and the Mičurín pool in Bratislava’s Old Town.
Opposition MP Peter Stachura (KDH), following his visit to the cardiology department in Trenčín, revealed that as of Monday, only one doctor is on duty there. Health Minister Zuzana Dolinková (Hlas) has claimed for several days that the situation at the Trenčín hospital is stable. The doctor in question transferred from Banská Bystrica. The opposition is criticising both the minister and the current situation in Trenčín’s cardiology department. The hospital director dismissed the department head at the end of June, which led to the resignation of several other doctors.
Education Minister Tomáš Drucker (Hlas) has accused opposition MP Ingrid Kosová (Progressive Slovakia) of lying about the planned Roma school project in the village of Rakúsy in eastern Slovakia. According to the ministry, the school will be the only one of its kind in Slovakia, aimed at providing Roma children with education in their native language. Kosová, however, argues that the project legitimises segregation and claims that the ministry is attempting to avoid an EU fine for violating race directives by creating the school.
Michal Kovačič, a popular TV presenter dismissed by TV Markíza for his live on-air criticism of the network—an action that violated legal regulations due to his role as a union leader—might be replaced by journalist Karolína Lacová from the state broadcaster STVR. Lacová might replace Kovačič as the host of Slovakia’s most-watched political show Na telo. Meanwhile, Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba (SNS nom.) has been attacking TV Markíza reporter Martina Töröková for her stories about his work. “You’re a journalist I always record,” the minister told her in April when asked about the culling of protected bears. Taraba also had the reporter recorded by his colleagues just a few days ago. The reporter is now facing threats.
People wait in line for refreshments in front of the Chata pri Zelenom plese (1,550 metres above sea level) in the Zelené pleso valley of the High Tatras on August 4, 2024. (source: TASR - Veronika Mihaliková)
WEATHER FOR FRIDAY: Expect partly cloudy skies with occasional showers or thunderstorms. It will be exceptionally hot and humid, with daytime temperatures ranging from 33°C to 38°C, and around 31°C in the northern regions.
From Friday at 13:00 to 19:00, heat warnings will be in effect. The highest level of warning will apply to the southern districts of Nitra Region (Komárno, Levice, Nové Zámky, Zlaté Moravce) and the western part of Banská Bystrica Region (Žarnovica, Zvolen, Krupina, Veľký Krtíš, Banská Štiavnica, Žiar nad Hronom, Lučenec, Detva). (SHMÚ)
AUGUST 16 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Leonard.
Thank you for subscribing and reading. It means a lot to us.
P.S. If you have suggestions on how our news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.
Follow The Slovak Spectator on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram(@slovakspectator).
