A Bratislava regional court has barred former Slovak National Theatre director Matej Drlička from making any public statements about Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová (SNS nom.) from 6 December, after granting her request for an emergency injunction linked to a defamation complaint.
Drlička said on social media that the ruling means he cannot “even utter the minister’s name in public”, adding that from 6 December Šimkovičová “becomes a person whose name I must not speak — any resemblance to a character from J.K. Rowling’s novels is purely coincidental.”
The court order prohibits him from commenting on Šimkovičová in print or online media, including social networks, and from making any statements that could harm her reputation. A lower court had twice rejected the minister’s request before the regional court approved it. The decision becomes final on Friday.
Drlička, dismissed by Šimkovičová as head of the national theatre in August 2024, said he would comply but called the ban a “dangerous signal” that empowers politicians seeking to silence critics. He said he will take legal steps to challenge the ruling.
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The culture minister filed her criminal complaint against Drlička in March. After being questioned by police in March, Drlička said the case was part of what he viewed as the government’s strategy to silence critical voices. He also accused the minister of “misusing her office for harassment”.
In October, Drlička unexpectedly defended Šimkovičová when photos of her at the Culture Ministry Awards sparked a wave of mocking comments online.
Since his dismissal, Drlička has become a prominent critic of the ministry, helping launch a cultural protest movement. The Culture Ministry has not yet commented on the injunction.