In Slovakia, dried-out bushes were simply spray-painted green ahead of a festival

Ahead of a festival held on the grounds of Matica slovenská in Slovakia, withered bushes were spray-painted green to make the area look more presentable, the organization's technical department has confirmed.

According to representatives of Matica slovenská, with little time or money available to plant new greenery before the event, staff opted for a "temporary fix" — painting the dried-out vegetation. Laura Hancová, a spokesperson for the organization, said the measure cost 300 euros (over 7,200 crowns).

The withered bushes will be removed at a later date. Matica slovenská says the painting was cleared with the heritage protection authority, which raised no objection to the temporary solution but recommended that the shrubs eventually be removed and replaced with new plants.

The story has drawn mockery on social media, with one user recalling how similar tricks were used to "spruce up" barracks during compulsory military service under socialism. "The Bolsheviks are back, and so are their methods," he wrote in the comments.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz