Originally, the government coalition wanted to discuss the bill today, but the leftist opposition and three rebels from the senior ruling Civic Democratic Party (ODS) were against it. The ODS rebels headed by MP Vlastimil Tlusty already criticised the bill last week.
The Chamber then adjourned the debate on the bill because Tlusty, backed by the opposition, demanded that the government explain how it calculated the sum to be provided to churches. Under the bill, the state would return about one third of the property of religious orders the communist regime confiscated, the rest would be compensated with 83 billion crowns. The sum would eventually climb up to Czech govt calculation of church property contradicts law - MP ...
Czech govt completes church bill, ready to submit it to deputies ... 270 billion crowns due to interests over the next 60 years. Tlusty objects to both the sum and the 60-year payments calendar. The cabinet worked on the bill in the past few days, claiming that it now meets Tlusty's demands. However, both Tlusty and the opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) and Communists (KSCM) said the latest supplement to the bill was insufficient. The left-wing claims that the state would be more generous to the churches than to other entities claiming restitution of their confiscated property and would considerably burden next generations. The Social Democrats have worked out an alternative bill proposing more limited restitution for church orders. (USD1=16.320 crowns)
(Ceske Noviny)
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