Slovak President Peter Pellegrini signed an amendment to the Act on the Slovak Arts Council (FPU) on Tuesday (June 25). The board of the fund will now decide on the provision of money from the fund. It will take into account the opinion of the expert commission, which will be the council's advisory body, but the opinion will not be binding for the council. Parliament approved the legislation again in June after it was vetoed by the previous President, Zuzana Čaputová.
According to the amendment, the number of council members will increase from nine to 13. Seven will be appointed directly by the Minister of Culture, one will be appointed by the Minister on the proposal of mayors of municipalities and cities and chairpersons of self-governing regions. The principle of appointing the remaining members of the commission remains preserved according to the valid wording of the law. The range of purposes for which the fund provides finance will also be expanded, namely to support the restoration, modernization and infrastructure of cultural objects and the support of traditional folk culture.
The contribution from the state budget to the fund will also increase as will the percentage of the fund's designated income for the fund's own operation. The share of the state contribution, which can be used for priorities determined by the Ministry of Culture, will also be increased. It also follows from the amendment that the supervisory commission of the FPU will have five members. Two members will be elected and dismissed by the council by secret ballot. Three members of the supervisory commission will be appointed and dismissed by the Minister of Culture, one of them at the proposal of the Minister of Finance.
The amendment is to be effective from August 1.
(TASR)
