The Conference of Slovak Bishops accuses Culture Minister Daniel Krajcer of releasing its ideas on church financing without consulting them.The Roman-Catholic Church appears dissatisfied with the level of discussion about potential changes in the financing of Slovak churches.
It issued a statement through the Conference of Slovak Bishops (KBS), in which it expresses regret that the Minister of Culture, Daniel Krajcer, published certain thoughts on the topic of church financing without consultation.
Any possible model of church financing requires the approval of the people within the society, according to the Culture Minister Daniel Krajcer.
“Any solution can be provided only after a discussion with churches. This must lead to a broader agreement. We will certainly not solve this situation by adopting a comprehensive legislation that imposes churches to do something. It will be a debate in the whole society. Not just the executive branch and registered churches. This is such a fundamental change in the status of churches in society that everyone needs to comments on it,” Krajcer told reporters.
The liberal Freedom and Solidarity party went into the election with the theme of changing the existing system of church financing. All four center-right coalition parties agreed to initiate a discussion on a possible financial separation of church and state. The strongest one, the Roman-Catholic Church, claims it does not resist the change.
At present, the state contributes to the salaries of clergymen.
On Tuesday, the Austrian Catholic News Agency wrote about the proposals to amend the financing of churches in Slovakia and stated that the Freedom and Solidarity discussed a model in which the church members would have to pay, in addition to the 18 percent income tax [in reality it is 19 percent], a percentage to churches and religious communities of which they are a member.
SIC: RSI