After several attempts to convene the parliamentary Committee on Culture and Media, MPs have finally met with representatives of the cultural sector from across Slovakia. The agenda included an audit by the Supreme Audit Office (SAO) focusing on selected organisations under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture, as well as a discussion between artists and ministry representatives.
“The cultural sector is falling apart, and events are being cancelled due to withdrawn support from the Arts Council,” warned Ľudovít Nápoky from Anténa, a network for independent culture.
The difficult situation was outlined by around forty representatives from various cultural institutions.
“Many would welcome an amendment to the law governing the Slovak Arts Council,” said Tibor Zelenay, head of the Slovak Association of Music Clubs.
Roman Michelko from the junior coalition SNS party acknowledged issues within the Council but expressed uncertainty about supporting the proposed amendment drafted by independent MP Roman Malatinec, who convened the committee session.
According to Zora Jaurová of the opposition PS party, the submitted amendment is identical to her own proposal, and if passed in this form, her party would support it.
Independent MP Roman Malatinec says: “the parliamentary discussion was only the first step.”
The Ministry of Culture and the Slovak Arts Council stated that inspections of multi-year funding contracts had revealed serious irregularities. They are currently investigating whether these were caused by negligence or intentional actions.
At the committee session, the Ministry of Culture also announced that it would provide state-run cultural organisations with additional funding up to the amounts originally agreed in their contracts. Directors of these institutions had warned that projects and events were at risk following previous budget cuts.
Source: STVR
