Simkovicova: Culture Ministry's Audit Has Unveiled Serious Misconduct at SNG

Bratislava, December 11 (TASR) - The Culture Ministry's internal audit at the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) has unveiled serious misconduct that may have criminal consequences, Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) told a news conference on Wednesday dedicated to the findings of the audit, which mapped the period from January to December 2023. "The audit unveiled 26 shortcomings, including five serious ones," said Simkovicova, adding that the findings are so serious that the ministry will pass them on to the Supreme Audit Office, and they might result in criminal prosecutions. "The most serious finding of the audit was that over €5.5 million for work on SNG's reconstruction was paid without a legal reason," announced the minister. SNG acting general director Jaroslav Ninaj said that other problems concern, for example, contracts signed in violation of the law, insufficient financial discipline and incorrectly set systems for the institution's management. He reiterated previously presented findings that SNG's reconstruction failed to resolve the problem of leakages and damage caused by groundwater. "A construction-technical and legal audit will be carried out, aimed at finding out whether errors occurred in the project, or if bad managerial decisions were behind the failure," said Ninaj. He also announced a plan to carry out a personnel audit at the gallery, conceding that he's encountered resistance to cooperation on the part of SNG staff. General secretary of the ministry's service office Lukas Machala pointed out that some SNG employees have literally ignored their superiors' orders. Machala claimed that the ministry's efforts to make changes in the institution are aimed at ensuring that there are professional working relationships at the SNG and that public funds are used in an economical and efficient manner. ko/df