The Slovak Spectator (Slovak Republic), July 21, 2003
http://www.slovakspectator.sk/
Over the past couple years, the number of religious sects, mostly satanic ones, have been increasing in Slovakia. The internet has become a fertile soil for the rise of different cults and sects that are often imported from Germany, the daily Národná obroda writes.
Currently, there are 500 sects operating in Slovakia with several of them presenting a serious danger to society, Lucia Machácková of the Institute for Relations between the State and Churches says. She explains that these groups violate human rights, create a spiritual dependence and endanger the development of children.
Chairman of the Ecumenical Association for the Study of Sects Ondrej Garaj is truly concerned about the boom of the satanic movement. The so-called Austrian-type satanism is spreading around Bratislava, Trnava and Trencín, while in Košice mostly Ukrainians start operating sects.
Compiled by Beáta Balogová from press reports