Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic - Directorate of Religious Affairs

The Directorate of Religious Affairs of the Slovak Ministry of Culture provides the implementation of state administration in accordance with the Competence Act in the section of churches and religious groups.

It respects them as legal entities „sui generis“, recognizes their specific place in society and co-operates with them on the basis of partner co-operation, while it does not interfere in their internal affairs.

Concerning the field of interests of the Directorate, it has following competences:

- it draws up drafts for generally binding legal regulations governing the status and activities of churches and religious groups

- it carries out the registration of churches and religious groups and registers legal persons which derive their legal subjectivity from the registered churches,

- the Directorate provides the preparation of the budget proposal and completing of the proposals of churches and religious groups to the state budget,

- it itemizes the state budget resources earmarked for purposes related to churches, religious groups and charity, it oversees their effective and economical use and it also provides the proceedings of churches by the clearance of financial relations with the state budget,

- it creates conditions for the arrangement of property-legal relations among the state, churches and religious groups,

- it funds the surveying works in connection with the implementation of the Law on the Reduction of Certain Property Injustices on the churches and religious groups,

- it prepares the analytical, conceptual and information materials and expert opinions,

- it co-operates with central authorities of state administration and partner organisations abroad,

- it maintains direct contact with the registered churches and religious groups,

- and it co-operates with ecclesiastical and religious bodies in the field of relations with Slovaks living abroad.