2024-08-08 08:33:43
Slovak Minister of Culture Martina Šimkovičová dismissed the head of the Slovak National Gallery, Alexandra Kusou. Among other things, he criticizes her alleged managerial decisions. Kusá has led the institution since 2010. “The reason is clear. We are not compatible,” Kusá responded. He compares the reasons for his dismissal to a bunch of lies and half-truths.
Šimkovičová, who was proposed to the government by the nationalist Slovak National Party, already on Tuesday relieved the director of the Slovak National Theater Matej Drlička, which provoked criticism from some artists and the opposition. A petition was also created, so far over 50,000 people have signed it.
Alexandra Kusá is now criticized by the Ministry of Culture for the reconstruction of the building of the Slovak National Gallery. According to a statement on the office’s website, Kusá is a relative of the executive and partner of the original contractor of the reconstruction project. The member of the government is also upset that the value of the contract increased to almost two million euros through amendments.
The office, like Šimkovičová before, also criticizes the Slovak presentation at the Art Biennale in Venice, Italy. Šimkovičová, who promotes “traditional Slovak culture”, previously wrote about the “dubious presentation of art” in connection with the Slovak project and called on representatives of the “liberal-progressive spectrum” to stop “shame on Slovak culture”.
The minister entrusted Anton Bittner with the management of the Slovak National Gallery, who, according to her, is an experienced crisis manager.
The Slovak National Gallery, like the Slovak National Museum, defended the dismissed director of the national theater Drličky on Tuesday. Czech Minister of Culture Martin Baxa from ODS wants to offer him membership in the commission that will select the future general director of the National Theater in Prague.
On Wednesday, the strongest opposition movement Progressive Slovakia announced a new attempt to recall Šimkovičová in the lower house and a demonstration.
Meanwhile, Matej Drliček came to support Alexandra Kusou at the press conference, who did not hold back in criticizing Minister Šimkovičová and her close associate Lukáš Machala.
“What we have been watching in recent months is not the dismissal of directors, it is a cultural war. Minister Šimkovičová and her ideologue Machala have declared war on culture and art. All the dismissals and changes are not based on rational arguments, it is the pulling of these two unbraked wagons that are rolling everything , what stands in their way,” said Drlička.
Police announced Wednesday evening that they had arrested a person suspected of spray-painting the window of the Ministry of Culture. According to an associate of the minister, Lukáš Machala, a rioter painted a swastika there, which the official describes as the result of an angry campaign by the dismissed head of the Drlička theater, activist actors and non-governmental organizations.
Martina Šimkovičová has been defending traditional Slovak culture for a long time and speaking out against topics related to the LGBT+ community. In May, the opposition in the lower house failed with a motion of no confidence in Šimkovič. At the time, the opposition parties claimed that the minister wanted to forcibly control cultural institutions and funds that distribute money to support various projects and events.
The Ministry of Culture under the leadership of Šimkovičová, among other things, enforced a new law on public television and radio, the aim of which, according to the opposition, is the control of this station by the current government.
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