Slovak Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová dismissed the head of the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) Alexandra Kusou. This was reported on Wednesday by a spokesperson for the gallery and also by the Ministry of Culture, which criticized, among other things, Kusé’s managerial decisions. She has been at the head of the SNG since 2010, her statement on the ministry’s decision is expected in the afternoon.
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14:48 August 7, 2024 Share on Facebook
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Slovak Minister of Culture Martina Šimkovičová | Photo: Jakub Kotian/TASR | Source: Profimedia
On Tuesday, Šimkovičová dismissed the director of the Slovak National Theater (SND), Matej Drlička, which provoked criticism from some artists and the opposition. She dismissed Drliček due to alleged managerial failures and loss of trust.
“The Resort considers the general director’s actions in the reconstruction of the Slovak National Gallery building, which involved several managerial failures, to be unacceptable,” the ministry said in response to Kusá’s appeal.
It claimed that Kusá is a relative of the executive and partner of the original contractor of the SNG reconstruction project and that the value of the contract was increased through additions. The office, like Šimkovičová, criticized the Slovak exhibition at this year’s art biennial in Venice, Italy.
Slovak Culture Minister Šimkovičová has dismissed the head of the National Theatre. He criticizes the move
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Šimkovičová, who promotes “traditional Slovak culture”, previously wrote about the “dubious presentation of art” in connection with Slovakia’s participation in this event and called on representatives of the “liberal-progressive spectrum” to stop “shame on Slovak culture”.
The minister appointed Anton Bittner, who, according to the ministry, is a crisis manager to lead the SNG. The SNG, like the Slovak National Museum, defended the sacked director of the SND Drličky on Tuesday.
Drlička understands his appeal as the government’s attempt to subdue another cultural institution, as he told the SME daily. “With this act, Minister Šimkovičová wants to control the Slovak National Theatre, because she dislikes our freedom and that we openly say what we think through our work. They belong to people who don’t like critical opinion and freedom gets in the way,” he said.
Czech Minister of Culture Martin Baxa wants to offer Drličk membership in the commission that will select the future general director of the National Theater (ND) in Prague. Some Slovak artists and the opposition criticized Šimkovičová already for dismissing the head of the theater. Another petition demanding the dismissal of the Minister of Culture was also created on the Internet.
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