'Slovakia': Cyril and Methodius Celebrations State-financed Party Show (2)

Bratislava, 4 July (TASR) – The opposition 'Slovakia' party has called Saturday's (5 July) Cyril and Methodius celebrations at Devin Castle near Bratislava a party-driven show, claiming that the event is overpriced and will serve as a political campaign financed by the state. [Saints Cyril and Methodius, who are commemorated in Slovakia with a public holiday on 5 July, are credited with bringing Christianity to the territory of modern-day Slovakia in the 9th century. - ed. note] MPs Gabor Grendel and Roman Mikulec (Slovakia) pointed out that only the lower areas of Devin Castle will actually be accessible to the public, while the upper section will remain closed. Grendel emphasised that the costs are "excessive" at a time when the public is being urged to save money. "The Defence Ministry is essentially organising a party campaign with taxpayers' money,” he said, noting that the celebrations are set to cost up to €750,000. Last year, the event cost €450,000 and was organised by the Culture Ministry rather than the Defence Ministry. The 'Slovakia' party also noted that the castle will have been closed to the public from 1 July to 7 July due to it being rented by the Defence Ministry. On Saturday, only the lower part will be open, while the upper area will remain closed. "That's where a VIP party is being thrown for three-quarters of a million euros," remarked Mikulec. The event programme on Saturday is set to begin at 11:00 a.m. and will include historical presentations, demonstrations of traditional crafts and the preparation of medieval food. Visitors will also have a chance to explore a Glagolitic scriptorium. In the evening, a ceremonial programme is slated to be broadcast live on STVR at 9:00 p.m. Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) has defended the cost by noting that this year's event is all-day, unlike in previous years. He stated that part of the budget has been allocated to the city of Bratislava, Slovak Television and other ministries. According to Kalinak, the rental fee for Devin Castle is €70,000, and the evening programme alone will cost between €230,000 and €240,000. 'Slovakia' also took potshots at Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD), accusing him of attempting to dismantle church-run schools. Party MP Marek Krajci said at a press conference that if Catholic or Protestant schools are classified as "public providers of education," they will not only lose their funding but will only be allowed to admit students from their assigned district. Admitting students from outside that district would result in a 20-percent cut in their state subsidies. According to Krajci, this could force these schools to charge high fees in order to survive. He urged the minister to rethink the proposed reforms to avoid damaging a system that already functions well. He stressed that church schools naturally serve a broad range of students, including children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. Under the reform draft, the number of reasons why subsidies can be slashed is to be extended. Private and church schools that are not registered as public education providers will face 20-percent reductions. The changes are expected to come into effect as of 1 September 2027. mf/df