Theatre patron refuses to give up seat for culture minister, Slovak National Theatre apologizes

A woman attending a performance at the Slovak National Theatre (SND) refused to vacate her seat when asked to make room for Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová. The incident occurred during a theatre visit by the minister, with theatre staff requesting the patron to move from her assigned seat. The Slovak National Theatre subsequently acknowledged the request was inappropriate and issued an apology for the incident. The SND, Slovakia's premier cultural institution and the country's main opera and drama venue, admitted the error in protocol when handling the minister's attendance at the performance.