BRATISLAVA, Sept 20, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Thousands of people protested in Slovakia on Thursday against recent moves by the country's culture minister, accused by critics of censorship and poor management of public funding.

"Shame on you," a crowd in Bratislava's main square chanted against Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova.

Organisers said 3,500 demonstrators turned out in the capital of Bratislava, with rallies also held in more than a dozen other cities.

Simkovicova hails from the right-wing SNS party, part of the coalition led by populist Prime Minister Robert Fico.

She has sacked the heads of cultural institutions including the Slovak National Theatre and the Slovak National Gallery, prompting accusations from opposition parties of trying to muzzle artistic freedoms.

And in June, Simkovicova tabled a bill to scrap the RTVS public television and radio broadcaster, which Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called "a hard blow to media freedom in Slovakia".

"Despite our calls for discussions with political representatives, there has been no willingness to negotiate," said Jana Alexova, a spokeswoman for the cultural strike committee.

"Public funding of the arts in Slovakia is also paralysed," she told AFP.

"Politically motivated nominations threaten culture in Slovakia," film director Peter Kerekes said at the demonstration in Bratislava.

Tomas Mastalir, an actor, said: "This government coalition arrogantly mocks the entire society. They are spreading lies and destroying our work."