Jaurova: Dismissal of FPU Director Major Overstep and Breach of Boundaries

Bratislava, April 30 (TASR) - The dismissal of Robert Spotak as director of the Arts Support Fund (FPU) is unlawful and a major overstep, stated parliamentary culture and media committee chair and member of the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) Zora Jaurova on Wednesday, arguing that individuals such as Spotak are heroes who defend institutions, laws, and common sense, not personal interests. The MP added that she would turn to all available legal institutions, as she believes immense harm is being done to culture and the legal system. According to her, the damage caused by the Culture Ministry's nominees in the FPU council will be very difficult to undo. "It's crucial to replace this government as soon as possible so we can restore institutions and the rule of law to the people of Slovakia," she explained. On Wednesday, the FPU Council agreed to dismiss Robert Spotak from his position as director. According to the council, Spotak failed to provide access to documentation on projects aimed at supporting folklore events within the specified timeframe and failed to secure proposals from committee members, which prevented a decision from being made within the legal deadline, and he was also supposed to publish the votes of council members, which, by law, is meant to remain confidential. Spotak considers his dismissal from the FPU as unjustified, claiming the council ordered him to act against the fund's law, which requires expert committees' involvement in decisions. He stressed that changing their [expert committees] status to an advisory role doesn't allow their exclusion from the decision-making process. He argued that neither he nor the FPU office is to blame for delays in supporting folklore events, as repeated absences of Culture Ministry's nominees at council meetings blocked the election of committee members. lin