Open letter from the employees of the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMU)

We, the employees of the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMU), who have dedicated years of professional life to this institution and have long been involved in fulfilling its demanding and publicly significant tasks, feel compelled to draw attention to the alarming state of this institution. Deteriorating working conditions, an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, by the management, as well as the absence of constructive dialogue, force us to publicly highlight the critical situation that threatens not only us, the employees, but also the very functioning of SHMU and its commitments to the Slovak Republic, the European Union, and international partners.

Key issues requiring immediate resolution:
In recent months, SHMU employees have faced several actions that jeopardize the institution's operations and could gradually lead to its dysfunction. These include budget cuts, layoffs of experienced professional staff, and the reluctance of the management to fill key empty positions. Leaders of international projects are working under uncertain conditions without guaranteed funding. Foreign business trips are being questioned and restricted, and basic work benefits, including personal allowances and the possibility of remote work, are being canceled. The top management shows no willingness to communicate openly with employees, deepening the atmosphere of uncertainty and distrust. Employees see no clear vision for the development of SHMU. The absence of a long-term operational and scientific concept threatens the efficiency and competitiveness of the institution compared to similar organizations in the EU. A petition with the request for a meeting to discuss the current situation was addressed to the acting Director General. However, we have not yet received any response. By this time, the petition has been signed by more than 150 employees.

Consequences of SHMU's dysfunction:
SHMU is not an ordinary state institution. It is a technological, scientific, and operational hub upon which the safety, operation, and functioning of strategic sectors and institutions in the country depend daily. Its dysfunction or professional under-dimensioning would lead not only to sanctions for non-fulfillment of commitments but also to possible human casualties, damages of property, and extensive damage to the country's infrastructure.
SHMU is an integral part of the critical infrastructure of the Slovak Republic, as defined in Act No. 367/2024 Coll. on Critical Infrastructure. Its dysfunction would have serious impacts on:

Timely warning and protection of the population: Providing key information for the Crisis Management Section of the Ministry of the Interior, Civil Protection, Fire and Rescue Corps of the Slovak Republic, Integrated Rescue System of the Slovak Republic, and Mountain Rescue Service.

• State security: Providing information for the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Public Health Authority, and nuclear power plants.
• Transport and aviation: Providing measured data and model forecasts to the Aviation Meteorological Service and other transport entities.
• Flood risk management and drought monitoring: Essential for protecting property and lives of residents and compensating for losses (e.g., in agriculture).
• Development of models and preparation of analyses for climate change adaptation measures: Crucial for preparing strategic documents for the long-term planning of various sectors of the national economy.
• International Commitments: Fulfilling obligations to international organizations such as EEA, WMO, EUMETNET, EUMETSAT, ECMWF, ACCORD, RC LACE, ESSL, Copernicus EMS – failure to do so could lead to violations of international law and agreements defined by the World Meteorological Organization, the European Commission, and the interruption of providing mandatory or contractually agreed information to foreign meteorological and hydrological services.
• Services for commercial partners: Insurance companies, distribution companies, and others.
• Utilization of European Union funds: (e.g. from the Slovakia Programme) is at risk due to a lack of staff.
• Scientific research and development of new products: Fundamental to modern hydrometeorological services worldwide.
• Cooperation with universities and the academic community in Slovakia and abroad: In addressing project calls within the Slovak Republic and the European Union

The uncertainty and disillusionment resulting from the above-mentioned problems inevitably lead to the loss of key personnel, whose departure has already begun. We are determined to work to maintain the quality of SHMU's activities, but without systematic support and employee motivation, long-term stability is unsustainable.

By this letter, we call on the management of SHMU and the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic to immediately address the mentioned problems to ensure the stability, efficiency, and professional level of the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute.

Therefore, we specifically call on the management of SHMU and the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic to promptly:

1. Stop the deepening of personnel, operational, and professional destruction of SHMU,
2. Ensure the additional funding of SHMUs inadequately set budget, which currently prevents the institution from operating fully and from maintaining its essential expert capacities.
3. Respond to the demands of SHMU's professional employees, who warn of the institution's collapse through their departure,
4. Ensure continuity, expertise, and decent working conditions essential for the institution's functioning,
5. Ensure that the management of SHMU acts transparently, professionally, and with respect for its employees, in accordance with SHMU's own Code of Ethics, which obliges the management to: create a working atmosphere supporting open communication without fear of retaliation (Part III.1), behave considerately and responsibly towards colleagues (Part II), set a personal example in adhering to rules and dignity (Part VI.1), not tolerate any forms of intimidation, discrimination, or violation of employees' dignity (Parts VI.2 and VI.6), and ensure truthful and timely information for employees (Part VI.3).

Current management approach, including ignoring employees' demands, restricting working conditions, as well as manifestations of intimidation, and suppression of professional opinions, is in direct contradiction to SHMU's Code of Ethics, and thus to the basic principles of ethical, professional, and democratic management of a public institution.

This letter is also a public appeal – addressed to citizens, media, the professional public, and scientific institutions – especially those whose functioning depends on SHMU's outputs, as well as foreign partners, to pay due attention to the situation in this crucial state institution.

If SHMU loses its experts and credibility, the entire country will feel the consequences. Therefore, it should be in the best interest of the whole society that the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute remains functional, credible, attractive to professionals, and thus maintains an adequate professional level.

With respect,

employees of SHMÚ (in alphabetical order):

Mgr. Martin Belluš – Independent Research Specialist in Numerical Meteorology. Lead of the task Development, Adaptation, and Maintenance of NWP Systems and Applications. Development and operational implementation of the ALADIN model and the ensemble forecasting system A-LAEF.

Mgr. Juraj Beňo, PhD. – Air Quality Modelling; Administrator of the ATMOPLAN model for authorized assessors.

Mgr. Janka Čerbová – Weather forecaster; responsible for issuing warnings for hazardous weather phenomena.

Mgr. Mária Derková, PhD. – Head of the Department of Numerical Forecast Models and Methods. Development and operational implementation of the ALADIN model.

Mgr. Štefan Dlhoš – Weather forecaster; responsible for issuing warnings for hazardous weather phenomena.

Mgr. Lucia Dlhošová – Weather forecaster; responsible for issuing warnings for hazardous weather phenomena.

Mgr. Marcel Garaj, PhD. – Scientific and Technical Officer for Meteorology and Climatology. Climate modelling, preparation of climate change scenarios, and development of spatial analyses (GIS).

Mgr. Juraj Holec, PhD. – Scientific and Technical Officer for Meteorology and Climatology. Development of models for urban heat island analysis and spatial analyses (GIS).

Mgr. Marián Jurašek – Head of the Remote Sensing Department. Operation of meteorological radars in the national network, atmospheric lightning detection systems, and reception of meteorological satellite data.

Mgr. Andrej Kozák – Weather forecaster; responsible for issuing warnings for hazardous weather phenomena.

Mgr. Jana Krajčovičová, PhD. – Lead of the task Development and Application of Mathematical Models for Air Quality Assessment.

RNDr. Ivana Krčová – Meteorologist and Climatologist. Development and operation of meteorological and soil drought monitoring and its impacts.

Mgr. Lívia Labudová, PhD. – Scientific and Technical Officer for Meteorology and Climatology. Development and operation of meteorological and soil drought monitoring and its impacts.

Mgr. Marcel Macko – Weather forecaster; responsible for issuing warnings for hazardous weather phenomena.

Mgr. Jana Matejovičová – Air Quality Modelling, Smog Warning System. Contact person for the European Forum for Air Quality Modelling (FAIRMODE).

Mgr. Katarína Mikulová, PhD. – Head of the Climatology Services Department. Head of the National Climate Programme, and National Focal Point for Climatology for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Mgr. Vladimír Nemček – GIS Specialist; Assessment of pesticide impacts on air quality.

Mgr. Michal Nestiak – Research Fellow in Numerical Meteorology. Development and operational implementation of the ALADIN model.

Mgr. Milan Onderka, PhD. – Scientific and Technical Officer for Meteorology and Climatology. Development of statistical models for precipitation extremes analysis, climate change modelling. Editor-in-Chief of the Meteorological Journal.

Mgr. Jozef Pecho – Scientific and Technical Officer in Numerical Meteorology. Climate modelling and preparation of climate change scenarios.

RNDr. Norbert Polčák, PhD. – Weather forecaster; responsible for issuing warnings for hazardous weather phenomena.

Mgr. Jana Potanková – Weather forecaster; responsible for issuing warnings for hazardous weather phenomena.

Ing. Viera Rattayová, PhD. – Specialist in Meteorology and Climatology. Development of advanced AI/machine learning tools for data processing and quality control.

Mgr. Martina Sadloňová – Weather forecaster; responsible for issuing warnings for hazardous weather phenomena.

Mgr. Cyril Siman, PhD. – Weather forecaster; responsible for issuing warnings for hazardous weather phenomena. Developer of forecasting and alert tools.

Mgr. Miroslav Šinger, PhD. – Weather forecaster; responsible for issuing warnings for hazardous weather phenomena. Lead of the task Research and Development of Tools for Warning Services and Nowcasting. Specialist in convective phenomena.

Mgr. Dušan Štefánik, PhD. – Scientific Researcher in Numerical Air Quality Modelling. Development and operational implementation of air quality forecasts.

RNDr. Paulína Valová – Weather forecaster; responsible for issuing warnings for hazardous weather phenomena. Lead of the task Weather Forecasts and Warnings for the Public and Specialized Users.

Iniciátori petície z SHMÚ    Contact the author of the petition