92001E2426

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2426/01

by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(4 September 2001)

Subject: Equal treatment of religions in Slovakia

The John Calvin theological college in Slovakia does not receive any subsidy from the Slovakian government, whereas other smaller and larger church institutes are recognised as seminaries and/or faculties.

The college has been waiting for recognition as a faculty for six years. The report by the Commission requesting that the college should be recognised as a faculty was published ten months ago. If recognition is refused, payment of the pastors and ministers will be stopped. Other historical churches are allocated broadcasting time on public radio and television. This is not the case for the Calvinists. With 90 000 members, the Calvinist church is the fourth largest in the country.

Will the Commission investigate, in the negotiations with Slovakia, whether there is discrimination on the grounds of practising a particular religion or whether the reason for this discriminatory treatment is rather to be found in the fact that the Calvinists belong to the Hungarian minority?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(8 October 2001)

The Commission is closely following the respect of freedom of religion in Slovakia in the framework of the Copenhagen political criteria. In its 1999 Regular Report(1), the Commission came for the first time to the conclusion that Slovakia fulfils the political criteria. The same conclusion was drawn in the following Report of 2000(2).

The Commission can confirm that the Jean Calvin theological college has sought to be accredited, but so far has not been recognised as a faculty. The Commission can also confirm that the vast majority of Calvinists in Slovakia belong to the Hungarian minority.

This has, however, according to Commission's information, neither influenced the public financing of this church, nor the presence of Calvinists on public television and radio stations. Both financing and providing broadcasting time for churches are regulated by law. The state is responsible for paying the salaries of church ministers and partly also for its administration. The Calvinists' church in Slovakia is financed in the same manner as the other 14 registered churches in Slovakia.

The Commission will continue to monitor closely the fulfilment of the political criteria in the further course of accession negotiations, including the respect of freedom of religion.

(1) COM(1999) 511 final.

(2) COM(2000) 711 final.