The role to be played by humanism in the process of European integration is at present most topical and most important issue in every European nation.. It deserves special attention in nations of Central and East Europe, which are in a process of transforming into nations with a pluralist democratic political system Extremely important is the issue of joining European structures, the European Union and NATO. The Slovak republic belongs also to countries attempting to reach membership in the European Union and NATO. This bears certain political and economic aspects, because it is a complex process. According to investigations of Sociologic Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) one third of Slovak citizens expressed agreement with joining NATO and approximately the same numbers were against. Similar is the opinion of citizens on joining the EU.

To observe democracy, to build up market economy, to protect human rights-are the principles, which should be honoured by countries which have the ambition to join the EU. But opinion polls done by EUROBAROMETER have shown that an absolute majority of citizens were not satisfied with the state of democracy in all Central European countries.

The issue of the role of humanism and its prospects in post-communist countries is closely linked with European integration. In Slovakia the association of secular humanists was created in 1990, when the revolutionary changes in political, economic, social, cultural and state legislature took place, after the events of November 1989. The past seven years are characterised by economic decline and crisis, concomitant signs of which are a huge army of unemployed, extremely rapid increase in costs of living, which afflicts especially pensioners and young families with children. The real salaries dropped under the level of 1970. Nearly half of households are on the margin of living minimum and poverty. The burden of transforming Slovak economy into market economy has been transferred on the citizens. Despite the fact that governmental circles extol successes in the macroeconomics sphere, the citizens do not feel it yet.

We witness an unprecedented rise in the rate of crimes, frauds, maffianism, kidnapping, terrorist attacks, affairs on the political scene, racism, nationalism, spread of drug addiction, pornography, prostitution, and all this despite the proclaimed tolerance and Christian morality.

Besides the unfavourable social and economic problems the secular humanists became a target of indiscriminate attacks on the part of rightist, especially the clerical circles, who attack the "militant" atheism. An important factor is the fear to openly avow secular humanism or atheism.

After November 1989.One can notice a significant activation of churches, especially the Roman Catholic church, which attempts with all means to gain a decisive position in influencing citizens and of course to gain by restitution enormous material possessions. Besides, varied sects invade Slovakia.

As an association of secular humanists we are much concerned with the issue of state and church relation. Before November 1989. the official and the clandestine church were consistently struggling for separation of church and state. After November 1989.

They renounced the demands of separation. Representatives of the ruling coalition very strictly refused the preparation of bill on the state-church separation. The public can witness how the politicians vie for the benevolence of churches and the struggle whom should the churches favour in future.

The prime minister during his visit to Italy and to Vatican informed the pope, that in Slovakia there was a government having a christian programme and acknowledging the social teaching of church.

It is well known that representatives of religions welcomed the overturn in 1989-1990 as abolition of the "realm of evil". They realised that the time came to fill the spiritual gap with their religious values. The pope invoked to a new missionary crusade, to the so called "re-evangelisation of Europe" which means in plain speech new christianisation of the civilised world.

In the letter of John Paul II " Christi fideles laici" one can read : " we have to renew everywhere the christian substance /the pure humane nature/ in all countries and all nations".In the same sense the closing declaration of extraordinary European bishops synod in December 1991 stated , that " even in West the cultural social, and political development is characterised by atheism. Especially youngsters easily succumb to varied religious movements and sects, therefore it is necessary to seek and find God in the whole of Europe. The new evangelisation does not want to obstruct European humanism, conversely it wants to purify and strengthen it at the point , when loss of its identity threatens, especially at rebirth of "neo-paganism".

Interesting from this aspect is the opinion of cardinal Franz Konig, uttered on the conference "Church and democracy" in town of Nitra (Slovakia) in March 1995. He spoke very sharply and critically about the situation in western countries and supported those clerical circles in Slovakia, which "admonish to a reserved position against West , the Western Europe. Caution against decaying democratic society, caution against exaggerated subjectivism in questions of creed, church and against the liberal theology of West. The church will never comply with liberal understanding of vital values " currently the greatest enemy of church is the western hedonism. Namely the exclusive sensual consumer society."

This problem was pointed out also by Mr. A.M. Húska, the vice-president of the ruling political movement and vice-president of National Council of Slovak republic : "We have experience on the part of our western neighbours, where ideological atheism never existed, despite all this the societies lost nearly all their moral values and the immune system against explosive spread of crime rate, drug addiction and celebrating barbarism. The western societies do not know how they could defend themselves.

I think ( Mr. Húska - continuing ) the so called self-financing of churches at the current weakening of human spirit is an extraordinary danger This happens in an increasing extent in Austria and Germany. People there do not want to have any financial obligations to churches, they leave church and become victims of varied manipulation techniques of advertising, mass medial market, and in addition they celebrate their spiritual poverty as the victory of freedom."

Bur the present time Europe is pluralistic. Its leading value is liberty. The christian face of Europe belongs since long to the past among others also by contribution of the human factor in church,. It remains as an element of historic heritage. The vision of christian identity of Europeans in preceding years dissolved so much, that the pope has to contemplate on " neo- catechumen" and neo- evangelisation of civilised countries."

Besides state subsidies from public and communal sources the churches and varied sects get substantial means from abroad . On the other hand secular humanists do not receive any domestic or external support.

In the period since November 1989. we witness an onset of clericalism and effort of churches to gain decisive ideological influence on the society and strengthening of their structures - many a time with sharp attacks on people not professing religious creed. The religious ideology has gained a dominant position nearly in all cultural and social institutions as well as in mass communication media. The churches attempt to polarise the community on confessional basis by creating associations and organisations on religious basis. One can state that in the current Slovak community fostering religious ideology prevails, especially of one single religion. We can encounter the same in speeches of prominent state representatives.

Citizens professing no religion do not enjoy the same privileges as groups of those professing religion. They are discriminated against in several fields. We can see glorification of churches, and their activities are considered the only reliably guarantee of morals in society.

The coherence of religion and politics, and of churches with the state is contradictory to the vocation of a civil state system . The principle of equality of citizens before the law cannot be implemented if the religion gets monopoly for the spiritual life.

Our society finds itself in a deplorable situation, sinking ever more in a deep moral crisis. The churches have a very cheap answer when they affirm, that the roots of all evil is the abandoning of God and the true creed . Many a time opinions are uttered that lack on belief in God bears the crimes ,violence and that socialism, but above all atheism is the main cause of all evil and moral devastation. They derive this from the apostolic letter of John Paul II, reading as follows:" I point out the sinners , materialists , atheists as the only cause of evil, whom many Christians " are stoning " in their "saint indignation"

Disquieting phenomenon is that non-religious standpoints are considered result of influence of former regime, but not a natural consequence of growing emancipation, higher erudition and culture , as well as access to the riches of life produced by mankind itself. The propaganda attempts do degrade atheists as people of a lower category.

Secular humanists respect fully the right of citizens to claim different ideological positions and life stances. We stand on a basis of tolerance and strive to build a civil, pluralist society, in which freedom, pluralism and democracy is not only proclaimed ,but fully implemented We are confident that the path to an integrated and democratic Europe goes hand in hand with shaping a civil society, and honouring all basic human rights and liberties.