A part of the artistic community has addressed an open letter to President Peter Pellegrini, urging him to intervene against Gustáv Murín, the acting director of the Slovak Literary Centre. In the letter, the signatories ask the head of state to act from his position to prevent further harm to Slovakia's international reputation, which they claim has been damaged by Murín’s conduct. They also call for his immediate dismissal from the leadership of the Slovak Literary Centre.
As they explained to the President, they are appealing to him in part because the Minister of Culture, Martina Šimkovičová, has failed to act—despite complaints from employees of the Slovak Literary Centre and the findings of an internal audit by the Ministry of Culture, which revealed violations of the Labour Code and the Code of Ethics on Murín’s part.
The open letter has been signed by more than a hundred individuals, including playwright and former Minister of Culture Ladislav Snopko, as well as writers such as Ivana Gibová, Michal Hvorecký, Ján Štrasser, and Ivan Štrpka. Publisher Koloman Kertézs Bagala is also among the signatories, along with numerous translators and literary scholars.
Source: SITA
UPDATE at 15:00 on 22.5: Minister of Culture Martina Šimkovičová (nominated by the SNS) has dismissed Gustáv Murín from his position as the acting director of the Slovak Literary Centre. Murín is expected to continue working at the centre as an employee, though his new role has not been specified. He had been leading the Slovak Literary Centre since 8 January, when he was appointed by the minister following her dismissal of the previous director, Pavol Sibyla, without providing any reason.
Source: SME
