News digest: Cultural rebellion against the minister underway

Slovak snack giant makes headlines, what’s worrying people in Slovakia, and how to have fun in Bratislava.

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Sep 05 2024
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News digest: Cultural rebellio

Good evening. Here is the Thursday, September 5 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.

Sirens and blackouts: Cultural uprising declared

The initiative Otvorená kultúra! and representatives of the cultural community hold a press conference in front of the Propeller building in Bratislava, where they introduced a nationwide coordinated action of the cultural sector called the "Cultural Strike!" on September 5, 2024. (Source: SITA - Tomáš Bokor)

Part of Slovakia’s cultural sector has declared a ‘Cultural Strike!’ and entered a state of alert in response to actions by Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová of the nationalist Slovak National Party (SNS). The initiative, led by the platform Otvorená kultúra!, criticises Šimkovičová’s leadership for what they view as destructive and ideologically driven changes, as well as economic repercussions.

The minister and her right-hand man, Lukáš Machala, have dismissed several directors of cultural institutions and taken control of independent cultural funds, among other actions.

Over 1,700 cultural workers from more than 50 towns, including major institutions like the National Theatre (SND), National Gallery (SNG), and the Culture Ministry, have joined the initiative.

In the coming weeks, the strike may cause disruptions to artistic productions and public events, with plans for symbolic actions such as sirens during performances and brief blackouts in galleries and museums. Despite this, institutions like the SND and SNG will continue operations as usual.

The initiative, announced on Thursday, is not a full-scale strike—at least for now.

The ministry has acknowledged the protest and emphasised respect for constitutional rights but has expressed confusion over the accusations of harassment and incompetence directed at the current administration.

Students uniting against a common enemy

(Source: Image by stokking on Freepik)

Slovak študenti have recently returned to school and thousands of long-suffering učitelia to their despairing staff rooms. It is time to map out the battleground for the school year ahead.

TOP 10 EVENTS IN BRATISLAVA

Bratislava goes Indonesian

Experience the magic of Indonesia in Bratislava. (Source: Pixabay)

Immerse yourself in Ukrainian culture, celebrate Jewish culture at a festival dedicated to showcasing its rich diversity and traditions, and discover the enchanting world of Indonesian culture.

IN OTHER NEWS

Lawmakers from Smer and the Slovak National Party (SNS) on Thursday submitted a no-confidence motion against Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Šimečka concerning his position as deputy speaker of parliament. An extraordinary session to address the motion should be held within seven days. The motion was initiated by PM Robert Fico (Smer), who accuses Šimečka of connecting foundations that have received state funds to his family members, including his uncle, mother, and partner. Šimečka said that the author of the document regarding his removal from the position is Pavol Gašpar, the head of the Slovak Information Service. “This is evident from the characteristics of the document. It is an absolute scandal and a reason for the immediate dismissal of Pavol Gašpar,” Šimečka added. “It represents a direct involvement of the intelligence service in political warfare against the opposition.” Gašpar is the son of the charged Smer MP and former police chief Tibor Gašpar, one of the MPs who submitted the document to parliament on Thursday.
Bomb alerts were reported to the police by several schools across Slovakia on Thursday morning. According to the police, around 270 Slovak and 500 Czech schools received threatening emails on Thursday. “Their content is almost identical to the threats from previous days. Although they did not come from the same address, the addresses are related,” said the police.
More than 63 percent of Slovaks identified rising prices as one of the top three problems they face. This issue is closely linked to the second most common problem, which is concern about poverty. Recent research by the OECD has confirmed that people remain worried about their financial situation and the economic wellbeing of their households. Inflation was the most frequently mentioned issue, not only in Slovakia but across all 30 countries evaluated. The third most commonly mentioned problem in Slovakia is corruption, followed closely by concerns about the availability of health and other basic services. Countries near the ongoing aggression in Ukraine show heightened concerns about war and terrorism, but Slovakia is not among them. Foreign affairs are one of the three issues to which Slovaks attach relatively low significance. They are even less concerned about the threat of disinformation on social media. Only 8 percent of Slovaks are troubled by climate change and other environmental risks. (SITA)
Juraj Nociar, who has served as the head of Slovak Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič’s office, will become Slovakia’s new Permanent Representative to the EU.

Holidaymakers swim in the cove of the Domaša – Dobrá reservoir in the village of Kvakovce, Vranov nad Topľou district, on August 31, 2024. (Source: TASR - Roman Hanc)

WEATHER FOR FRIDAY: Expect clear to partly cloudy skies with the possibility of isolated showers or thunderstorms. It will be exceptionally warm, with daytime temperatures ranging from 26°C to 32°C. (SHMÚ)

SEPTEMBER 6 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Alica.

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