MILAN Šimečka, the editor-in-chief of one of Slovakia's largest broadsheet dailies, Sme, unexpectedly quit his job on September 27, citing “a lack of support” from the newspaper’s publisher, the Slovak-German Petit Press.
Šimečka was followed by his deputy, Zuzana Račková.
It remains unclear why Šimečka left, although sources at the paper said that tensions had long been rising over Sme’s editorial direction and political sympathies.
Šimečka took over as editor of the paper following the death of his predecessor, Karol Jezik, in 1998.
According to unofficial information, Šimečka is to be replaced temporarily by current deputy editor Matúš Kostolný.
