Here are the latest news concerning Slovakia: the public discussion about religion was influenced during the first three months of the year by three factors: the national census on religiosity, discussions about the possible change of the very strict system of state’s registration of churches, and covid-19 pandemic restriction.

Much of media heat was also caused by the former Prime Minister Igor Matovič, who accused NGOs in Bratislava of stealing money destined to help the Roma. He claimed that church-based charities are cheaper and more effective than NGOs, which strongly upset NGO representatives.

March was not only marked by the Russian attack on Ukraine, but the media also covered the official diplomatic visit of Vatican and Pope Francis by the current Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger and his suite. Diplomatic contacts between the relatively small Slovakia and Rome seem to be very intense lately, as Pope Francis visited Slovakia in September 2021. 

Michal Puchovský