by the authorities in practice. Those that register receive government benefits including subsidies for clergymen and office expenses. Government funding also is provided to church schools and to teachers who lecture on religion in state schools. The Government occasionally subsidizes one-time projects and significant church activities, and religious societies are partly exempt from paying taxes and import custom fees. A religion may elect not to accept the subsidies. In 2001 the New Apostolic Church was registered, raising the number of registered churches from 15 to 16.
To register a new religion, it is necessary to submit a list of 20,000 permanent residents who adhere to that religion. There have been no cases in which a religious order was refused registration, and the religions already established before the law passed in 1991 were exempt from the minimum membership requirement.
There are no specific licensing or registration requirements for foreign missionaries or religious organizations. The law allows all churches and religious communities and enables them to send out their representatives as well as to receive foreign missionaries without limitation. Missionaries neither need special permission to stay in the country, nor are their activities regulated in any way. There were no reports that religions were denied registration or that any religious groups did not attempt to register because of the belief that their application would not be approved.
Public school curriculum allows students to choose to study religion or ethics from grade five to grade nine. These courses often are taught by religious leaders, and the churches themselves are responsible for providing instructors, although their salaries are covered from the government budget. There is a lack of appropriate teachers for certain religions. Some church representatives complain that the status of religious lecturers is not equal with that of regular teachers. Religious lecturers usually are hired on contract and are not paid during the 2 months summer vacation.
In February 2001, the Ministry of Education and the Institute of Judaism undertook a joint educational project on Jewish history and culture that is targeted to elementary and high school teachers of history, civic education, and ethics. This project is intended to assist in educating the public about Jewish themes and increase tolerance toward minorities. The Government, as an associate member, is seeking to obtain full membership in the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research.
There are several religious holidays that are celebrated as national holidays, including Epiphany, the Day of the Virgin Mary of the Seven Sorrows, All Saints Day, St. Stephens Day, Christmas, and Easter. A treaty with the Vatican prohibits the removal or alteration of existing religious holidays considered as state holidays. However, none of these holidays appear to impact negatively any religious groups.
The Church Department at the Ministry of Culture oversees relations between church and state. The Church Department manages the distribution of state subsidies to churches and religious associations. However, it cannot intervene in their internal affairs and does not direct their activities. The Ministry administers a cultural state fund--Pro Slovakia--which, among other things, allocates money to cover the repair of religious monuments. There is a government institute for relations between church and state.
Under the auspices of the government Office for National Minorities and Human Rights, an official agreement was signed between the Government and the Greek Catholic and Orthodox Churches to conclude property disputes stemming from the Communist and post-World War II eras. Since 1989 the Government has promoted interfaith dialog and understanding by supporting events organized by various churches. The state-supported Ecumenical Council of Churches in Slovakia promotes communication within the religious community. Most Christian churches have the status of members 