The opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party has filed a motion with the Supreme Audit Office (NKU) against Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova (an SNS nominee) concerning the recent procurement of a logo for the Slovak Television and Radio (STVR) for less than €10,000 by the Culture Ministry and Simkovicova's exercise of the powers of the statutory head of the Slovak National Theatre.
The party said that it would submit the same motion with the Prosecutor-General's Office in the next few days, claiming that Simkovicova violated the law on several occasions.
According to PS, Simkovicova broke the law, for instance, after she dismissed the head of the national theatre. With the institution lacking a statutory head for three weeks after the dismissal, Simkovicova proclaimed herself to be acting statutory and exercised statutory powers without any legal right or authority.
At the same time, PS claimed that Simkovicova also breached the law when procuring a new logo for STVR, adding that when it asked the Culture Ministry on what basis it contracted the production of the logo for another institution.
According to the Ministry of Culture the procedure for procuring the logo for Slovak Television and Radio (STVR) and exercising the powers of the statutory director of the Slovak National Theater (SND) was in accordance with applicable legal regulations.
The Ministry stands by its legal opinion.
Source: TASR
