Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, February 5 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in a few minutes.
Illustrators: Future of BIB competition uncertain
An illlustration drawn by Paloma Valdivia from Chile won the Grand Prix BIB 2023 award. (source: TASR)
In response to the current situation regarding the organisation of the Bratislava Illustration Biennal 2025 (BIB), an international exhibition of original illustrations of books for children and young people, dozens of Slovak illustrators have decided to boycott the event.
The event is organised by Bibiana, the International House of Art for Children in Bratislava which not long ago underwent controversial changes, including Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová's neighbour and friend Petra Flach, an economist, being appointed as the institution's head.
"We consider the long-term problems in the functioning of BIB, lack of transparency, and ideological influence on decision-making processes to be alarming. Of particular worry is the absence of information regarding the current composition of the BIB Executive Committee, which chooses illustrators representing Slovakia, among other things," reads a statement posted on social media and signed by more than 50 illustrators from the Slovak Illustrators Association (ASIL).
According to them, Flach did not demonstrate relevant experience in managing a cultural institution and her appointment led to the resignations of entire departments at Bibiana. These events raise concerns for the future of BIB.
The association understands that taking part in BIB is a dream and prestigious goal of many illustrators, but under the circumstances they consider it necessary to take decisive steps and send a clear signal.
"The situation in the Slovak culture forces us to make difficult decisions that may have a long-term impact on the form of our cultural representation," ASIL says, adding that the illustrators cannot passively stand by and watch the increasing lack of transparency and manipulation in BIB. The goal is not to destroy the event, but to protect its integrity.
Related: Bibiana is not the only institution that has undergone controversial changes in leadership positions. Recently, Gustáv Murín, a writer whose controversial past includes ties to conspiracy platforms, was appointed the head of the Slovak Literary Centre. And not long ago, three foreign cultural institutions ceased cooperation with the National Gallery, citing changes in the gallery's management, as well as departure of experts, among the reasons.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
POLITICS: Dissatisfaction with the government is growing in eastern Slovakia as traditional Smer bastions are joining protests.
BUSINESS: A real estate advertising company co-owned by the Penta financial group was recently fined for abusing its market position.
DONALD TRUMP: If introduced, US tariffs would hit Slovakia significantly, with car industry affected the most.
SWIMMING: Do you long for having fun in a swimming pool? Here are six cheap thermal swimming pools in Slovakia that are open in winter.
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
Safety in heights
The tower in Trojičné Námestie square in Trnava. (source: TASR)
The tower in Trnava's Trojičné Námestie square was built in 1574. The 16th century was a time of acute Ottoman danger, and the construction of the tower was probably made primarily as a defensive tool against this enemy. Trnava lies on a vast flatland; from such a height as the tower one can see far and wide. Did you know that guardians lived in it?
EVENT FOR SATURDAY
The beauty of miniatures
A model of a ship at a previous edition of ModelCon. (source: TASR)
On Saturday, the town of Trnava, western Slovakia, will hold the fourth edition of the ModelCon scale model festival. If you love miniature versions of cars, tanks, ships, airplanes, soldiers, among many, many other possibilities, this is definitely a place to be this weekend. The event will take place between 08:00 to 16:00. Find out more here.
IN OTHER NEWS
The parliament - all 79 coalition MPs - approved health-care legislation based on the agreement between the government and the Doctors' Trade Union Association (LOZ) concluded at the end of 2024, which temporarily ended the impending mass resignation of doctors by the end of the year. However, the parliament had until the end of February to approve some unresolved issues. The bill introduces changes concerning the valorisation of doctors' salaries, the introduction of personnel norms in hospitals, shorter working times for hospital health personnel, as well as health personnel no longer being criminally liable for violation of their duties during the state of emergency. (TASR)
Almost a month has passed since the devastating cyber-attack on the Office of Geodesy, Cartography and Land Registry (UGKK), crippling the Land Registry. According to opposition MP Ján Hargaš (Progressive Slovakia), the Land Registry services are available only on paper and locally, despite the claims of coalition MPs that the services will be restored in days, weeks at most. (TASR)
Speaking at a session of the Czech Parliament's Committee for European Affairs, Czech PM Petr Fiala said that he and his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico informally met on Monday. According to Fiala, he voiced his dissatisfaction with accusations regarding alleged meddling by Czech politicians and media in Slovakia's internal affairs the latter made last week. However, PM Fico denied meeting with Fiala. In a social media post, he said that they only shook hands and called the informal meeting "the same nonsense as the vacation in Hanoi". In early January, Fico spent some time in Vietnam. (TASR)
Former MP Ján Cuper (HZDS), aged 78, reportedly died at the Miletičova open-air market in Bratislava. According to private TV JOJ's information, he collapsed during his speech due to heart failure. Cuper was also a university teacher and lawyer. He became known for defending then director of the Slovak Information Service, Ivan Lexa. The latter was suspected and accused of participating in abduction of then-president Michal Kováč's son to Austria. He also defended the controversial amnesties instated by Vladimír Mečiar, chair of HZDS, which relate to the abduction and the 1996 murder of Robert Remiáš, who served as a contact for a key witness of the abduction. (Noviny.sk)
The Health Ministry announced that debts of 15 health-care facilities to social-security provider Sociálna Poisťovňa totalling €93 million were forgiven. The debts were in the form of penalties related to outstanding insurance premiums. Agreements the facilities were concluded by Debitum, a state-run joint-stock company with the Health Ministry as its sole shareholder. Bratislava University Hospital had the biggest debt, amounting to €27 million. The Louis Pasteur University Hospital in Košice was forgiven more than €13.1 million, while the Martin University Hospital had a debt of almost €10.7 million. (TASR)
Opposition MP Veronika Remišová (the Slovensko movement, formerly OĽaNO) warns that the rate at which Slovakia is drawing EU funds is alarming and it might lose €1.54 billion by the end of this year. According to the latest data, the rate is 3 percent of the total of €12.5 billion. Remišová blames the Investment Ministry led by Richard Raši (Hlas) for the situation. In response, Raši pointed to what he called Remišová's insufficient action when she herself was the minister and claims that it took 25 months from the announcement of a call [for applications] until the first funds were drawn. Meanwhile, deputy prime minister for the Recovery and Resilience Plan says Slovakia ranks fifth in the European Commission's assessment of the use of funding from it and is one of the top performers in the EU. He added that the sixth and seventh payment requests should be submitted this year, with the former by the end of June. (TASR)
Ski school in the Skipart Vyšné Ružbachy resort in northeastern Slovakia. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy, occasionally snowing, especially in northern Slovakia. Daily temperatures will rise to between 3 °C to 8°C, with up to 1 °C in the north. (SHMÚ)
FEBRUARY 6 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Dorota
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).
