Czech opposition threatens to reject church property restitutions

The Social Democratic Party has threatened to reject the law on property settlements between the state and the church if the government coalition didn’t discuss the bill with them and didn’t agree on a compromise solution. Under the deal, a third of church property confiscated by the communist regime will be returned to its original owners and compensation will be paid for the rest. The compensation was set at some 83 billion Czech crowns (approximately 4.7 billion US dollars). It is to be paid out over the next 60 years at a rate of interest set a 4.8 percent, with the overall figure expected to reach some 270 billion crowns.

Author: Ruth Fraňková