Partial compensation for injustice inflected upon religious organizations by the communist regime

After the communist take-over, church property that was not used directly for religious purposes and which in part secured the livelihood of individual parishes and communities, was confiscated. This applied mostly to buildings used mostly for educational, social and charitable purposes, as well as some real estate (such as woods, fields etc.). Parishes, churches and community buildings remained under the ownership of the church and were not confiscated. Property confiscation however resulted in the establishment of a new law, according to which the State agreed to financially support church activities (clergy salaries, administrative expenses, moving expenses, others).

This law was renewed in 1989 and the State's obligation to pay for religious life, remained within it. Since that time, the State has covered only the barest minimum necessities, namely mostly clergy salaries. The remainder depends upon the national budget. A parliamentary ruling in the nineties, subsequently returned 170 buildings to the Church; remaining property was blocked and placed under the jurisdiction of a new law. Its purpose was to deal with injustices of the communist regime, determine future financial support of the Church by the State, eliminate the validity of the original law and release (unblock) all previous Church properties.

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