Catholic Church - Czech Republic near restitution deal

The spokesman, Daniel Herman, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that government and church leaders have agreed in principle to transfer back to the church about 30,000 properties currently held by the Czech Republic. The real estate includes land beneath and surrounding churches, monasteries, convents, rectories and chapels across the country. The buildings were returned to the church in 1991 after the downfall of the communist regime, but the land remained in state hands. The two sides are now "speaking in common" after a decade of discussion, Herman said. "These two points of view are compatible."

Details of the restitution plan have not been worked out, and a deal would have to be approved by the Czech parliament. However, legislation could be approved by the cabinet and sent to parliament within weeks, Herman said. The basic agreement was hammered out during a private meeting late Tuesday with Prime Minister Milos Zeman, Minister of Culture Pavel Dostal and Deputy Premier Pavel Rychetsky. They met with the church's top Czech clergy - Cardinal Miroslav Vlk, Olomouc Archbishop Jan Graubner and Hradec Kralove Archbishop Dominik Duka. The discussion included issues of religious freedom, government registration of churches, financial support for churches and diplomatic relations between Prague and the Vatican. Property restitution has been a barrier to relations between the Czech government and the Vatican for years. The issue was discussed when Zeman met with Vatican officials last fall in Rome. In the latest talks, Herman said that the church and government agreed that restitution should be made in property rather than cash. Restoration of ownership rights would give the church power to sell or alter the land, he said. Church officials were pleased with the apparent agreement, Herman said. "The church wants a final solution," he said, "to all these problems, which were born 53 years ago."

(dpa)