Slovakia's Education Ministry Calls for Sensitivity After Interior Minister's Controversial Anti-Drug Roadshow

Slovakia's Education Ministry has called for greater sensitivity in activities designed for children following criticism of a controversial roadshow organized by Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok. The 744,000-euro campaign, which launched in early May, takes children through a dark room featuring sounds of howling dogs, images of chains, illegal breeding facilities, and skeletal remains of domestic animals as part of efforts to educate them about drugs, bullying, and animal abuse. The roadshow, commissioned by Šutaj Eštok who leads the centrist Hlas party, aims to raise awareness among young people about these social issues. However, the Education Ministry has responded by emphasizing that activities targeting children must be prepared with careful consideration for age-appropriateness, suggesting concerns about the potentially traumatic nature of the presentation method being used to deliver the anti-drug and anti-abuse messages.