COOPERATION WITH CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES
The Ministry of Culture is the central state administration body for affairs related to churches and religious societies though it has no control of them, does not interfere in their internal affairs and does not provide methodological guidance for their activities. This approach is based on recognition of their social and legal standing as public institutions sui generis. It nevertheless cooperates with them and conducts dialogue with them.
The objective of the measure is to intensify cultural exchanges so as to benefit mutual respect of cultures, facilitate dialogue and stimulate intercultural activity that promotes cultured interaction. At their own initiative, churches and religious societies organise cultural, educational and charitable activities that contribute to the objectives and key principles of the Convention. They are helping to build a society in which people with different opinions from different communities have solidarity and good will for each other. The provide care for every person regardless of their opinions or nationalities, provide assistance for people in need and create conditions for them to develop their own human dignity, their own culture and their own religious heritage.
b) The Ministry is the central state administration body for the affairs of churches and religious societies. Questions of the financial relations between the state and the church are regulated by Act No 218/1949 on financial provision for churches and religious societies by the state, as amended by Act No 16/1990 repealing state supervision of churches, as amended by Act No 522/1992 and Act No 467/2005. The state provides direct subsidies through the budget chapter of the Ministry to finance the payroll and health and social security contributions of clerics of the registered churches and religious societies and to contribute to the operating costs of church administrations (bishop’s offices). In 2012 funds for this purpose from the state budget amounted to EUR 37,555,040; in 2013 they amounted to EUR 37,524,333; in 2014 they amounted t
The aim of this measure is to ensure the intensification of cultural exchanges in favour of mutually respectful cultures, to support dialogue and stimulate inter-culturalism for the development of cultural interaction. Churches and religious societies organize public educational and cultural or charity activities on their own which also leads to the fulfilment of the objectives and principles of the Convention. They have created societies of the solidarity and benevolence of people of various opinions and societies. The carry out care for each person regardless their views or nationality, assist people in need and create conditions for the development of human dignity and one’s own cultural and religious heritage.
b) The Ministry is the central state administrative organ in matters of churches and religious societies. The issues regarding the financial relations of the state and churches are regulated by Act No. 218/1949 (Digest) on State Economic Support for Churches and Religious Societies in the wording of Act No. 16/1990 (Digest) which abolished the state supervision over churches in the wording of Act No. 522/1992 (Digest) and Act No. 467/2005 Coll
Within the framework of cooperation with registered churches and religious societies, a dialogue began on the systematic and lifelong learning of representatives of churches and religious societies which is one of the forms of support and respect for the diversity of cultures.
In 2012 funds for this purpose from the state budget amounted to EUR 37,555,040; in 2013 they amounted to EUR 37,524,333; in 2014 they amounted to EUR 38,472,510; and in 2015 they amounted to EUR 38,949,895.