Pro-Government Influencer Reportedly Paid €45 Per Hour Under Environment Ministry Contract

Miriam Šramová, a social media influencer known for supporting Slovakia's ruling government, reportedly held a contract with the Ministry of the Environment paying her €45 per hour, according to information that has emerged about the arrangement. Šramová is said to have worked for the ministry under a scheme funded through Slovakia's Recovery and Resilience Plan — the national program channeling European Union post-pandemic reconstruction funds into public projects. The ministry is currently led by Tomáš Taraba, a politician from the far-right Slovak National Party (SNS), which is part of Prime Minister Robert Fico's three-party ruling coalition. The revelation raises questions about the use of EU recovery funds to engage political allies, as the Recovery and Resilience Plan is subject to strict EU oversight and is intended to finance legitimate reform and investment projects rather than political communications work.