Martin Varga from the Uhrovec Castle (Hrad Uhrovec) civic association during a protest against the Culture Ministry's leadership in Bratislava on September 19, 2024. (source: TASR)
Dozens of Slovakia’s ancient castles and cultural landmarks are set to fly black flags or dim their lights in protest. These symbolic gestures highlight the growing frustration among preservationists as vital restoration efforts remain stalled. The protest, announced by heritage organisations and experts, targets the Culture Ministry, which they accuse of freezing financial aid meant to safeguard cultural monuments.
At the centre of the controversy is the government’s ‘Renew Our House’ programme, a long-standing initiative under the Culture Ministry that has been supporting heritage restoration for two decades, writes the Sme daily. However, this year’s delays are unprecedented, according to Ratibor Mazúr, head of the Save Our Castles (Zachráňme hrady) civic association.
“The collaboration with the ministry has worked well for 20 years, but we’ve never seen a situation like this,” Mazúr said.
As of September, the ministry has yet to evaluate funding applications that were submitted as early as December last year, leaving owners and caretakers of cultural landmarks in limbo. The ministry, Mazúr added, has ignored the recommendations of expert committees. For many historical sites, this delay means the season has already been lost.
