Religious institutions will be financed in a different way. After Parliament approved an amendment to the respective law on Wednesday, the Culture Ministry informed that it would be revised after 70 years. As Culture Minister Lubica Lassakova stated: "it reflects the conclusions of the Expert committee which opts for the system of the direct support of churches from the state budget but in an updated form, based on the principles of justice, transparency, solidarity and independence of churches while respecting the economic possibilities of the state."
"The state support will be perceived as only one of the sources for financing the activities of religious institutions in order to give them a higher level of their independence," concludes the Culture Ministry.
The change involves mainly the system of salaries for priests. It will not follow the previous scheme but will provide the institutions with a budget adjusted to the number of believers. As the Ministry claims, the rules secure solidarity with religious institutions with smaller numbers of members.
Representatives of Christian denominations and the Central Union of Jewish Religious Communities have welcomed the new act on financing churches in Slovakia.
Ak zakon vstupi do platnosti …
"If this act enters into force, it will replace the communist legislation which tried to have religious institutions under control," said Stanislav Zvolensky, the President of the Conference of Slovak Bishops, adding that they appreciate the fact that the state is dealing with religious institutions with respect.
The Lutheran Church in Slovakia points to the fact that the state support will only be a part of the overall costs needed for securing the condition and operation of its infrastructure as well as programs with people. „The major part of the financial means for church operations has come and will continue to come from the wallets of its believers," reads the statement of the Lutheran church provided to the TASR press agency on Friday.
