Culture Ministry: Council of Arts Support Fund Dismisses Director Spotak

Bratislava, April 30 (TASR) - The Council of the Arts Support Fund (FPU) has dismissed Robert Spotak from his position as director, according to Petra Bacinska of the Culture Ministry's press department, who stated that the decision was based on repeated and serious breaches of legal and employment obligations. According to the Culture Ministry, Spotak failed to comply with the council's resolution from April 16 and didn't provide documentation for projects supporting folklore events within the set deadline. "By doing so, he prevented the council from making decisions based on relevant materials," the ministry noted. "He disclosed voting records of council members, which are confidential under the FPU act, thereby breaching the principle of confidentiality and proper handling of information," the ministry specified. Bacinska added that the Culture Ministry respects the decision of the FPU Council as the fund's highest authority. "In line with the FPU act, interim leadership will be appointed shortly, and a selection procedure for a new director will be announced," she explained. The FPU repeatedly urged Spotak to provide access to grant applications in the sub-programme focused on supporting folklore events. FPU Council chair Matus Olha had requested the submission of these projects as early as the first half of April, but Spotak refused at the time. Robert Spotak considers his dismissal from the position of director of the FPU to be unjustified. He argued that submitting the projects without the expert committee's opinion would have violated both the law and the fund's internal regulations. Spotak stated this in response to his dismissal to TASR, also pointing to what he described as the questionable legitimacy of the council's decision-making. lin/mcs