By: e-maribor
Throwing money out the window has gone on long enough, especially at the Ministry of Culture. On Monday, the ministry informed recipients of funds that, until the planned autumn budget revision, it will not accept new payment requests. In plain terms: NGOs will not receive any money until autumn.
This is a measure which, according to the Ministry of Culture, stems from a major budget shortfall in the ministry’s 2026 financial plan. Due to the situation, it will be necessary to intervene even in already signed contracts with providers of cultural programmes and projects.
The ministry emphasises that the reductions will be carried out in accordance with tender and contractual provisions, but the decision has caused considerable uncertainty among recipients. Many cultural institutions, associations, and other providers have already begun implementing their programmes based on the originally approved amounts, meaning that reduced funding could affect the execution of planned activities.
The ministry’s financial situation is a consequence of budgetary obligations left over from the period when the cultural portfolio was led by the “extravagant” Asta Vrečko. Critics of the former leadership argue that the new management inherited an extremely difficult financial state, which now requires austerity measures and adjustments to already concluded contracts.
The autumn budget revision will show to what extent additional funds can be secured for the cultural sector, or how extensive the cuts to already approved programmes will be. Until then, many cultural project providers will have to adapt their plans to the uncertain financial circumstances.
Thus ends the period in which numerous NGOs could almost automatically rely on taxpayers’ money. Organisations that built much of their activity on state budget funds will now have to face a different reality. Finally!
Asta Vrečko has already reacted to this move here.