Branislav Balogh became the new director of the Slovak Literary Center
Balogh alternates Gustav Murin.
BRATISLAVA. Branislav Balogh became the new temporarily authorized director of the Slovak Literary Center. For SMEs this was confirmed by the employees of the Center, saying that he has worked in the center as a department of foreign projects as a manager of promotion and dissemination of Slovak literature in recent months.
Balogh started working in the center during the leadership of Gustav Murin. « We are all shocked and we had no time to process this information, » said Dado Nagy from the Foreign Projects Department and the Secretary of the Slolia Commission.
Balogh will replace Murín, led by the Slovak Literary Center since 8 January, when he was appointed Minister of Culture Martina Šimkovičová (nom. SNS) After the Center Director has recalled without giving any reason Pavel Sibyl.
The SME daily contacted the Ministry for a request for a response, it has not yet responded. Balogh himself confirmed the mandate for TASR.
After the scandal in Prague Šimkovičová dismissed the temporary chief of the Slovak Literary Center Gustáv Murín Read
They dismissed him because of the situation in the center
The Minister of Culture dismissed Murín from the post of 22 May, according to employees, she continues to work in the center as an employee, it is not clear in which position. Murín’s appeal for SMEs was also confirmed by the director of the Department of Communication by the Ministry of the Ministry of the Ministry of the Ministry.
« The decision of the Minister of Culture reflects the current situation in the Slovak Literary Center. We thank Mr. Murín for his cooperation so far, » she said. Murín did not respond to the questions.
Murín’s appeal came after his scandalous appearance at the International Book Fair and Literary Festival The Books in Prague and the repeated requests of employees to dismiss him. They have repeatedly complained to Murin since February.
Letters from abroad and from Slovak authors
The situation culminated during the Book of the Book of Prague 2025, which took place from 15 to 18 May. Murín attended the event as an official representative of the Slovak Literary Center.
During the performance he got into conflict with the audience. The editor of the Czech respects Ivana Svobodová asked him if his worldview would be reflected in the management of the institution and confronted him, saying that she was publishing on conspiracy websites.
The center employees sent a letter to the Minister on Monday and asked for a dismissal of Murin. On Wednesday they addressed again Letter to President Petr Pellegrini Personalities of the Slovak literary scene. It was signed by more than a hundred signatories and signatories. These include dramaturg and former Minister of Culture Ladislav Snopko, writer Alta Vášová, Jana Cviková, Irena Brežná, Ivana Gibová and Mariana Čengel Solčanská and also writers Silvester Lavrík, Michal Hvorecký, Ján Štrasser or Ivan Štrass.
The Association of Writers of Slovakia also wrote an open letter to the Minister of Culture. Its chairman Peter Juščák criticized Murín’s statements in Prague and asked the minister to deduce consecration.
The Minister of Culture was also written by a letter by the director of the International Book Book and Literary Festival The book of Prague Radovan Auer. According to him, Murin committed offensive and nonsensical statements at the festival. « If you care about the good relations of Czech and Slovak culture, do not send Mr. Murin to us, » he added.
