STA, 4 December 2020 - The building housing the Culture Ministry was pelted with black paint overnight, in what has been described as yet another in a series of attacks on the ministry and its staff.
"Unknown perpetrators have caused taxpayers several thousand euros in damage with the complete destruction of the facade," the ministry said about what it described as the latest attack.
In a subsequent press statement, it added that this was an example of "inadmissible vandalism and destruction of public infrastructure, which is a reflection of a broader situation in the country."
Ponoči so neznanci davkoplačevalcem povzročili več tisoč evrov škode s popolnim uničenjem fasade @mk_gov_si. Eden izmed vrste napadov na ministrstvo in uslužbence, ki si sledijo iz tedna v teden. pic.twitter.com/Y8jZHbK8CY
— Ministrstvo za kulturo (@mk_gov_si) December 4, 2020
The ministry's employees are under immense pressure, to the point where they are afraid to go to work. The ministry resolutely rejects such reprehensible escalation of pressure," it said, calling on the police to find the perpetrators.
Deputy Police Commissioner Tomaž Pečjak told the press that criminal police officers were looking into the matter, and that relevant institutions and the media would be informed when the investigation was concluded.
The ministry has been heavily criticised by artists since the start of the epidemic. They said it has not done enough to help the arts through the crisis.
It has repeatedly denied these charges, pointing to furlough payments for all workers at cultural institutions, income support for freelancers, payment of social security contributions, and other measures directly and indirectly helping the arts.
Artists have staged several manifestations in front of the ministry building in recent months, at least one of which, an installation of desks with the names of senior staff covered in red paint, was described by the ministry as a death threat.
According to media reports, the authors of this protest, who have not been publicly identified, wanted to show that senior officials were killing culture with administrative moves.
The building itself has been spray-painted several times.
