The Slovakian groups SZOPK and Strom Zivota coordinated their strategy and activities with the Czech CSOP and Brontosaurus movement, until the splitting up of the Czechoslovakian Federation at January 1, 1993. In contrast with the developments in the Czech environmental movement where the CSOP changed rapidly in accordance with the changed socio-political situation and Brontosaurus missed the connection with the 'new' Czech society, is the Slovakian Strom Zivota very successful and SZOPK lags behind. At present SZOPK is going through radical changes in its organizational structure to strengthen its position again. SZOPK had a typical centralized structure, decisions were made top down and in almost all 'higher' positions sat communists or at least people who could be controlled by the communist party. [REC 5, 1994, p. 582]
During the 'Velvet Revolution' in the Czechoslovakian Federation local SZOPK branches, especially those in Bratislava, became strong political opponents of the communist government. [Fisher et al., 1992, p. 41] After the changes these political activists left the movement, but in the same time a lot of new environmental NGOs appeared, mainly coming forth from former SZOPK branches. According to Juraj Mesik[1] the Slovakian environmental NGOs are quite different from the conceptions of most Western funders and even other Partnership countries. 'Not only do we work with much smaller grants, but we work with much less organized and developed groups to help them become more efficient and achieve better results.' [Partnership, report 1994/95, p. 5] He concludes that the Slovakian NGO community has to be nurtured more than the NGOs in other Central European countries. This is especially the case, because of the latest political developments in Slovakia. The Meciar government lately drafted a so called 'Third Sector Law', which implies several extra difficulties for both existing and newly established NGOs. A national 'Third Sector SOS campaign' which brought together all types of Slovakian NGOs has already started. [See Appendix IV]
Some special attention has to be given to the relatively new 'water' NGOs. These groups are dealing with river basins and they try to protect the river as a whole. Activities include nature conservation, public awareness, environmental information and education, national and international cooperation and of course all kinds of political activities. New plans to build dams are popular in the current Slovakian government; the most controversial project, the Gabcikovo dam in the Danube, caused huge political problems between the Hungarian and Slovakian governments. [REC 5, 1994, p. 584, Milieukontakt, 1994, p. 16] At the same time it brought together the environmental movements of both countries in newly established East-East cooperation. In general we see a relatively high level of cooperation in these 'water' NGOs, both internal and external.
Another hot issue in Slovakia's environmental movement is the Mochovce nuclear power plant. This project has also its influence in neighboring countries like Hungary. Again it brought together the environmental movement of Central Europe against this particular plant; but also in anti-nuclear energy campaigns in general.
The future of the Slovakian environmental NGOs will be difficult because of the regulations stated in the 'Third Sector Law'. Most probably the law will be accepted and then it is up to the creativity of the environmental movement to find alternative ways to oppose this law and to keep fighting for a clean environment.