The Minister of Culture of Slovakia, Martina Simkovicova, said that she was forced to change her place of residence due to attacks from journalists and activists who do not agree with her actions.
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Šimkovičová recently fired the heads of the Slovak National Theater and the Slovak National Gallery, citing dissatisfaction with their work. The opposition party Progresivne Slovensko (Progressive Slovakia) said that “Simkovicova’s authoritarian actions cross all boundaries.” The party scheduled a protest rally in Bratislava for August 13. In addition, activists who disagreed with her actions announced a bike ride from Bratislava to the minister’s house in Kittze, Austria, as a sign of protest.
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“I want to warn those who are going… from Bratislava to Kittze that it was you who instigated – and you, some journalists who are sitting here – kicked me out of my house so that I would look for a new house in Slovakia and, of course, I do not give you the address I will tell you not to change your cycling route to my place of residence, where you would endanger me and my child just because I’m doing my job, Šimkovichova said at a press conference on Thursday.
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Šimkovičová lived with her 10-year-old daughter in a rented house in Kittze, Austria (14 kilometers from Bratislava); after her appointment as Minister of Culture, she was criticized for living in a neighboring country and not in Slovakia. Some media also published information about the educational institutions her child attends in Austria and Slovakia.
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Fifty-two-year-old Simkovicova was appointed to the post of Minister of Culture of Slovakia in the fall of 2023, for a long time she worked as a TV presenter on the Slovak TV channel Markiza. Šimkovichova’s television career ended after the media drew attention to her social media posts in 2015 with harsh statements against refugees. Then Simkovichova entered politics and became a member of the Slovak Parliament. After being appointed Minister of Culture in 2023, she promised to stop funding non-governmental organizations that are associated with supporting LGBT ideology. In addition, Šimkovichova, by her decision, lifted the previously introduced ban on cooperation with Russia and Belarus in the field of culture, which was also received ambiguously in Slovakia.
