Minister Martina Šimkovičová’s leadership faces scrutiny as employees of the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) decry alleged mismanagement and politicisation under her oversight. Nearly 180 staff members threaten mass resignation if immediate reforms are not implemented.
Minister’s Dismissals Spark Uproar at National Gallery
The turmoil at the Slovak National Gallery traces back to Minister Šimkovičová’s decision in August to dismiss Alexandra Kusá, a seasoned general director credited with bolstering the gallery’s international reputation. Employees have linked her removal to a series of destabilising moves that threaten the institution’s integrity.
Kusá’s ousting paved the way for the appointment of interim leaders with no prior experience in managing cultural institutions. Initially, Anton Bittner assumed the post, only to be succeeded in October by Miloš Timko, a former corporate figure from the food equipment industry. Staff argue that these appointments reflect a broader trend of politicisation and incompetence within the ministry’s handling of cultural institutions.
Chaos and Cover-Ups: Staff Demand Answers
Employees of the gallery have repeatedly criticised Minister Šimkovičová for failing to provide transparency in decision-making. They accuse her appointees, particularly Timko, of overseeing mass firings disguised as organisational restructuring. These dismissals include key personnel such as curators and directors, undermining the gallery’s ability to sustain its projects and partnerships.
Among those targeted for dismissal is Alexandra Kusá herself, who stayed on as a senior curator after her removal from the directorial post. Employees view this as a retaliatory move that underscores the erosion of professional standards in Slovakia’s premier cultural institution.
Inexperienced Appointees and Dubious Delegations
Minister Šimkovičová’s choices have drawn sharp criticism for lacking expertise in the arts. Both Bittner and Timko, former colleagues in a private company, were brought into the gallery leadership despite their limited understanding of cultural administration. Under their tenure, Timko has planned to eliminate entire departments, including marketing and communication, while creating new roles unrelated to the gallery’s mission.
In a further controversial move, Timko delegated the gallery’s statutory authority to Jaroslav Niňaj, an individual with only eight days of prior involvement in the gallery, intensifying doubts about the ministry’s commitment to professional governance.
Promises of a New Leader, but Trust Erodes
Minister Šimkovičová has promised to appoint a new general director by December 1, a professional from the art world reportedly unaffiliated with political interests. However, the lack of transparency regarding the selection process and the identity of the appointee has done little to alleviate staff concerns.
Parliamentary cultural committee head Roman Michelko has expressed confidence in the upcoming leadership change. However, employees have made it clear that without concrete action from the minister herself, including direct dialogue and a halt to the current restructuring plans, the gallery’s operations could collapse as early as January 2025.
Staff Issue Ultimatum: Reform or Resign
The gallery’s staff have formally petitioned Minister Šimkovičová with six key demands: halting dismissals of key personnel, restoring organisational stability, releasing the findings of an internal audit, protecting the gallery’s reputation, and ensuring transparent, professional leadership. To date, they report limited engagement from the ministry, with many of their requests met with silence or deflection.
A mass resignation, involving nearly 180 of the gallery’s 270 employees, looms in January if these demands are not met. Such an exodus would cripple the gallery, jeopardising exhibitions, international collaborations, and the institution’s long-earned global reputation.
Employees Demand Transparency and Leadership Reform
In an open letter, 177 employees of the Slovak National Gallery detailed their grievances, accusing interim director Miloš Timko of non-transparent communication, misuse of gallery resources, and enacting arbitrary organisational changes that threaten the gallery’s operations. Central to their demands are the reversal of targeted dismissals of three senior curators and the head of marketing, positions they describe as vital to the institution’s scientific, research, and cultural mission.
Employees warned that dissolving the Marketing and Communication Section would disrupt partnerships, exhibitions, and public outreach, while compromising the gallery’s international reputation. The letter also criticised the lack of access to an internal audit used to justify these changes and highlighted fears of political and personal motives undermining professional standards. Calling for a qualified and independent general director, the staff outlined six key demands, including transparency, job security, and dialogue with the minister. Without these assurances, employees warned of a mass resignation in January 2025, which would render the gallery unable to functi
Culture Ministry’s Handling Endangers National Heritage
Minister Šimkovičová’s handling of the SNG crisis has raised broader questions about the politicisation of cultural institutions in Slovakia. Critics argue that the gallery, a cornerstone of the nation’s cultural identity, is being undermined by personal and political agendas. Employees have described the current situation as “untenable,” warning that continued inaction could inflict long-term damage on the country’s cultural landscape.
The crisis at the SNG underscores the urgent need for Minister Šimkovičová to prioritise transparency, professionalism, and dialogue in her approach to managing Slovakia’s cultural institutions. With the clock ticking, the gallery’s fate—and by extension, Slovakia’s cultural standing—rests in her hands.
Source: Jana Močková | Denník N
We publish the full text of the open letter from Slovak National Gallery employees:
Dear Minister,
We, the employees of the Slovak National Gallery (SNG), are deeply concerned about the future operations of this flagship cultural institution of Slovakia. We are contemplating mass resignations in response to the proposed organisational restructuring of the SNG and the announced unjustified dismissal of three senior curators and the Director of the Marketing and Communication Section. We regard these steps as deliberate and harmful. Such actions would paralyse the institution and render it incapable of fulfilling its mandate as outlined in the establishment charter of the Slovak National Gallery.
The interim general director, Miloš Timko, has failed to transparently communicate planned changes to the SNG’s organisational structure. As employees, we are forced to gather fragmented information from media reports and findings from a parliamentary inquiry conducted within the institution. These revelations have heightened our fears for our employment and the institution’s proper functioning.
Given the current circumstances at the SNG, we urge that the following measures be taken to ensure the protection of professional standards, process transparency, stability of positions, and ultimately, the gallery’s mission. We also call for the appointment of a new general director who can lead with expertise and transparency, creating and maintaining stable conditions for their colleagues and collaborators. This leader must prioritise the institution’s interests over personal or political motives. Detailed justifications and our demands are outlined below in this letter.
Reasons:
1. Purposeful Dismissals:
The parliamentary inquiry conducted on 16 October 2024 revealed a list of employees targeted for dismissal by interim general director Timko, outside of consolidation measures, and without valid justification. These include three senior curators (Dušan Buran, Lucia Gregorová Stach, and Alexandra Kusá) and the Director of the Marketing and Communication Section (Bohdana Hromádková).
Their dismissal risks paralysing the institution, disrupting curatorial plans, and breaching the scientific and research mission outlined in the gallery’s establishment charter. This also threatens continuity in exhibitions, research projects, cultural education, and collaborations with international partners, severely undermining the gallery’s reputation.
2. Unexplained Organisational Changes:
Despite repeated requests, employees have not been adequately informed about the planned structural changes, including the dissolution of the Marketing and Communication Section with its 54 employees. The abrupt reorganisation jeopardises stability, dismantles a well-functioning structure developed over two years, and appears to be motivated by personal grievances rather than professional considerations.
3. Access to Audit Results:
We demand access to the results of the audit conducted under Timko’s predecessor, Anton Bittner. These findings, funded by public resources, are being used as the basis for drastic organisational changes but have not been disclosed to employees.
4. Protection Against Discriminatory Dismissals:
We insist that all dismissals comply with legal standards and are justified based on professional needs, not personal or political motivations.
5. Preservation of Expertise and Reputation:
We call for the appointment of a qualified leader with experience in managing a public cultural institution, someone who prioritises the gallery’s mission and safeguards its standing nationally and internationally.
6. Constructive Dialogue with the Ministry of Culture:
We urge you, Madam Minister, to engage with us directly to address these critical issues and protect the integrity of this institution, which enjoys significant recognition both domestically and abroad.
If our demands are not met, 177 employees of the SNG are prepared to resign en masse in January 2025. Such an exodus would make it impossible to ensure the gallery’s continued operation. We hope this situation can be resolved through constructive dialogue.
Sincerely,
177 Employees of the Slovak National Gallery
Represented by the initiators of the appeal:
Zuzana Dzurdzíková, Klára Hudáková, Kristína Paulenová, Gabriela Schultzová, Zuzana Vravníková
