Slovakia lifts ban on cultural cooperation with Russia and Belarus - media
Kyiv • UNN
Slovakia has lifted its ban on cultural cooperation with Russia and Belarus, which was imposed after the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
Slovakia has decided to lift the ban on cultural cooperation with Russia and Belarus. The Ministry of Culture of the country noted that "artists and culture should not pay" for military conflicts, UNN reports with reference to the Pravda newspaper.
The publication reminds that a week after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, in March 2022, the Ministry of Culture of Slovakia, under the leadership of former Minister Natalia Milanova (OĽaNO), issued an order that suspended all communication or cooperation with Russia and Belarus. According to Milanova, the ministry took a clear position immediately after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, condemning Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
However, Pravda has in its possession a decision of the new head of culture, Shymkovichova. The document, dated January 12, is titled the minister's decision to cancel the order that issued measures regarding the situation in Ukraine.
"With the entry into force of this decision, I cancel the internal management act," said Minister Shimkovichova, whose decision came into force on January 15, 2024.
Minister Shymkovychova's order refers to a decision issued by Milanova on March 2, 2022. "All organizations under the management of the Ministry of Culture and their employees, as well as organizational units and employees of the Ministry, are ordered to: suspend any academic, cultural or other similar official cooperation with the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus," Milanova's material reads.
However, since Monday, none of these bans have been in effect.
"There are dozens of military conflicts in the world, and we believe that artists and culture should not pay for it," Shimkovichova told Pravda through her spokesperson Pavel Chorba.
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