InfoAnda - Czech restitution plan may unlock vast church lands |

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Exclusive: Colombia revamps war plan against guerrillas | | 17 February 2012
Carlyle, Beijing set up yuan-based investment fund | 13 January 2010
Rush Limbaugh felt pains similar to heart attack | 1 January 2010

France arrests Rwandan war crimes suspect | 12 October 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Czech restitution plan may unlock vast church lands |

Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Home Business Business Home Economy Technology Media Small Business Legal Deals Earnings Social Pulse Business Video The Freeland File Markets Markets Home U.S. Markets European Markets Asian Markets Global Market Data Indices M&A Stocks Bonds Currencies Commodities Futures Funds peHUB World World Home U.S. Brazil China Euro Zone Japan Mexico Russia India Insight World Video Reuters Investigates Decoder Politics Politics Home Election 2012 Issues 2012 Candidates 2012 Tales from the Trail Political Punchlines Supreme Court Politics Video Tech Technology Home MediaFile Science Tech Video Tech Tonic Social Pulse Opinion Opinion Home Chrystia Freeland John Lloyd Felix Salmon Jack Shafer David Rohde Bernd Debusmann Nader Mousavizadeh Lucy P. Marcus David Cay Johnston Bethany McLean Edward Hadas Hugo Dixon Ian Bremmer Lawrence Summers Susan Glasser The Great Debate Steven Brill Jack & Suzy Welch Frederick Kempe Christopher Papagianis Breakingviews Equities Credit Private Equity M&A Macro & Markets Politics Breakingviews Video Money Money Home Tax Break Lipper Awards 2012 Global Investing MuniLand Unstructured Finance Linda Stern Mark Miller John Wasik James Saft Analyst Research Alerts Watchlist Portfolio Stock Screener Fund Screener Personal Finance Video Money Clip Investing 201 Life Health Sports Arts Faithworld Business Traveler Entertainment Oddly Enough Lifestyle Video Pictures Pictures Home Reuters Photographers Full Focus Video Reuters TV Reuters News Article Comments (0) Full Focus Editor's Choice Our best photos from the last 24 hours. See more Images of April Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Banks prepare for the return of the drachma 6:49am EDT JPMorgan $2 billion trading loss dents teflon image | 11:52am EDT Facebook's IPO already oversubscribed: source | 8:53am EDT Greece hurtles towards new election; hard left leads 10:54am EDT JPMorgan $2 bln trading loss spooks bank stocks 8:24am EDT Discussed 142 Obesity fight must shift from personal blame: U.S. panel 132 Romney apologizes for bullying incident at school 122 Florida nabs white supremacists planning ”race war” Watched Prince Charles fills in as TV weatherman Thu, May 10 2012 World's rarest gorilla makes camera-trap debut Wed, May 9 2012 U.S. downs test missile with new interceptor Thu, May 10 2012 Pictures Reuters Photojournalism Our day's top images, in-depth photo essays and offbeat slices of life. See the best of Reuters photography. See more | Photo caption Mother's Day in prison An annual Mother's Day event, Get On The Bus, brings children to visit their mothers in prison. Slideshow Afghan girls An indepth look at the lives of girls in Afghanistan in times of uncertainty. Slideshow Czech restitution plan may unlock vast church lands Tweet Share this Email Print Related News Austerity topples Romanian government, Czech survives Fri, Apr 27 2012 Crisis proves a curse for Greece's Orthodox Church Fri, Apr 20 2012 Analysis & Opinion Christians rejoice and frown at Obama pro-gay marriage stance Irish Catholic Church head apologises to sex abuse victims but will not quit Related Topics World » By Robert Mueller CERVENA RECICE, Czech Republic | Fri May 11, 2012 11:24am EDT CERVENA RECICE, Czech Republic (Reuters) - Wires hang out of the walls, windows are smashed and the grass grows tall in the gardens of the once-elegant archbishop's residence in Cervena Recice, a 16th-century chateau left to rot after the communists took over in 1948. Bent on building a society free of religion, the communists seized the chateau, of the diocese of Prague, and thousands of other church properties and threw clergymen into labor camps and prisons or forced them into exile. When Communist rule ended in 1989, the residence was caught up in a disagreement over who it belonged to, part of a bigger dispute that has tied up about six percent of the Czech Republic's total forests and fields that once belonged to mostly Christian churches. Now the government plans to return $4 billion of property and pay $3 billion in financial compensation over 30 years - about 3.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product combined - to the churches, about four-fifths of it to the Catholic church. The plan, which a clear majority of Czechs oppose, was approved by the lower house of parliament in an initial vote in February when the government was enjoying the strongest majority in 20 years. Although a political crisis in April has reduced that majority to a handful of votes, the bill is still expected to pass. "What has been stolen, has to be returned, otherwise there is no meaningful democracy here," said Petr Gazdik, caucus leader of the coalition's conservative TOP 09 party, the main backer of the restitution plan. PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT Crucially for small- and mid-sized towns, where the TOP 09 party is strong, the deal could unlock 2,535 sq km of forests, land and buildings to development, rental or sale. Cervena Recice, a sleepy town about 100 km (60 miles) southeast of the capital, was denied European Union development funds to build a bike route because the planned path crossed a narrow strip of land tied to the former archbishop's estate. "We have development plans for housing and business activities on the church property. Our location is favorable and people are interested in the land here," said the city's mayor, Zdenka Beckova, in a phone conversation with Reuters. Jan Boruvka, secretary general at the national Association of Realtors, said freeing up the land would be a huge boost for investment in the local economy. "This will allow for managing property which has been mostly falling apart," he told Reuters. "It will allow investments without fear of losing the money." Other former communist countries in the region resolved their issues with churches years ago. In Poland, for instance, the state returned property and paid compensation worth roughly 5 billion Polish zlotys ($1.58 billion) in total. In Slovakia the churches got back around 60 percent of their property, and the government still finances clergy salaries. The Czech plan would not only give back the property but also gradually make churches independent from the government. Under Communism, the clergy essentially became state employees, and the government still pays $70 million a year in clergy salaries. Under the restitution plan, that amount will fall gradually to zero over 17 years. "I wish to see the Church independent, not financed by the state. That is impossible without the restitution," Gazdik said. ATHEIST CZECHS The churches are delighted with the plan, hoping the scheme will not only restore their fortunes but also reverse their declining role in Czech society. "Keeping the present state... would lead (the church) further into insignificance," said religion sociologist Roman Vido from the Masaryk University in Brno. Among the highly secular public, however, the scheme is deeply unpopular, not least because it comes at a time of economic stagnation, tax hikes and cuts in welfare. Respected polling agency STEM found in December that seven out of 10 Czechs are against the plan. Religion, history and politics all play a part. Many former communist countries saw a resurgence in religious belief after the end of communism, but in the Czech Republic the surge waned fast. In a 2010 Eurobarometer study, 37 percent of Czechs said "no" when asked whether they believed in God, the highest percentage in the European Union and up from 30 percent five years earlier. In neighboring Poland, that number is 5 percent, and in Slovakia 14 percent. A 2011 census showed the number of Catholics shrank to 1.1 million from 2.74 million a decade earlier. The total number of Christians is estimated at about 11 percent of the 10.5 million population. There is also historical resentment of the church's riches. The region has experienced religious turmoil for centuries, starting with calls by Hussite reformers for the Catholic church to be more modest as early as the 15th century. Austrian emperor Joseph II closed many convents and monasteries in a modernization drive. Anti-Catholic feelings were at the base of nationalistic movements in the 19th century and at the foundations of independent Czechoslovakia in 1918. Church leaders are pleased that restitution could open the way for them to boost activities like opening parochial schools, ramping up their modest media presence and assisting the poor. "This matters a lot, because it opens the way for people to encounter the gospel," said Tomas Holub, secretary of the Czech Catholic Bishops' Conference. STRONG FEELINGS Czech governments have wrestled with the issue for years. When the government fell halfway through the Czech EU Presidency in March 2009, one of the main reasons some coalition MPs defected was disagreement over an earlier restitution plan, which offered the churches twice as much compensation than now. Writer and former anti-communist dissident Lenka Prochazkova feels so strongly about the issue that she filed a criminal complaint against the government in January, accusing it of attempted theft. She has become one of the most vocal opponents of the deal, saying the churches never owned the property, only looked after it, so they should not get it back. "What they call mending of the relationship with churches, means rather that the state is bending its back," Prochazkova said. She also wrote a letter of protest to the Pope. The leftist opposition argues that the government should be more concerned about the economy. The country slipped back into a recession in the second half of 2011, and the cabinet has so far frozen almost 1 billion euros in spending this year. "In the midst of a financial crisis, when the economy is slowing down and heading for stagnation, the government should prefer spending which strengthens employment and social cohesion," said Bohuslav Sobotka, chairman of Social Democrats. The bill is expected to pass a second and third vote in the lower house in June. Although it is almost certain to face rejection in the opposition-dominated Senate, that can be overturned by the lower house, making final approval of the bill by the end of the year likely. Supporters say although the vote will be tight, the government should seize the opportunity and unload a burden which has weighted on almost all its predecessors. "The church restitutions have destabilized coalition governments since the 1990s," said Jan Outly, political analyst at the Hradec Kralove University. "Finishing this is important." ($1 = 18.7565 Czech crowns) ($1 = 3.1663 Polish zlotys) (Editing by Jan Lopatka and Sonya Hepinstall) World Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (0) Be the first to comment on reuters.com. Add yours using the box above. Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Back to top Reuters.com Business Markets World Politics Technology Opinion Money Pictures Videos Site Index Legal Bankruptcy Law California Legal New York Legal Securities Law Support & Contact Support Corrections Connect with Reuters Twitter Facebook LinkedIn RSS Podcast Newsletters Mobile About Privacy Policy Terms of Use AdChoices Copyright Our Flagship financial information platform incorporating Reuters Insider An ultra-low latency infrastructure for electronic trading and data distribution A connected approach to governance, risk and compliance Our next generation legal research platform Our global tax workstation Thomsonreuters.com About Thomson Reuters Investor Relations Careers Contact Us Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Friday, 11 May 2012
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
British played central role in foiled bomb operation: sources |
Insight: Afghan women fade from White House focus as exit nears |
Putin flexes muscle in shunning U.S.-hosted G8 talks |
Scepticism main challenger in Algerian election |
Libya finance minister says to resign soon, cites wastage |
France's Hollande to fight firms that fire workers |
German police suspend officer over Salafist links |
Microsoft redesigns Bing, plays up Facebook link |
Facebook listing could trigger IPO surge: Nasdaq |
Audience shares rise in debut on Apple link |
Intel CEO plays down concerns about tech spending |
Russell Brand to host 2012 MTV Movie Awards |
The Simpsons go Gaga for season finale |
House finale bittersweet: Everybody Dies |
Tenacious D aim to revive hard rock with Fenix |
British played central role in foiled bomb operation: sources |
Lawyers for China dissident's nephew say they face threats |
South Africa's De Klerk stirs ire with apartheid remarks |
Syria suicide bombers kill 55, ceasefire in tatters |
Greek parties scramble to avert new vote |
Analysis: China's Hu could cast long shadow if top table trimmed |
French left set to win parliament vote: polls |
British PM faces scrutiny over ties to Murdoch |
Spain to approve banks cleanup after tough talks |
Civilian deaths in Afghanistan fall 20 percent: U.N. |
Facebook's IPO already oversubscribed: source |
Sony slides to three-decade low on strategy doubts |
Insight: Salesforce's plan for opulent campus a costly debacle |
Yahoo CEO says he never provided a resume: source |
Online music storage firm MP3tunes files for bankruptcy |
Google, Twitter quizzed on Facebook-Instagram: source |
Facebook listing could trigger IPO surge: Nasdaq |
Analysis: Cisco spooks, but IT spending seen on the mend |
House finale bittersweet: Everybody Dies |
Hollie Cavanagh couldn't make 'Idol' fans love her |
Long road to South Korean stage for Syrian drama |
ABC renews Modern Family and other shows |
CBS sues ABC, says new show copies Big Brother |
Howard Stern says will tone down act for Got Talent |
Syria says thwarts attempted 1,200 kg car bomb |
NATO head urges Pakistan to open transit routes in time for summit |
Analysis: Israel frets on sideline as fall of Assad delayed |
Egyptians vote abroad, leadership contest heats up |
New Tunisia constitution ready in October: speaker |
Czech restitution plan may unlock vast church lands |
Algeria declares ruling FLN winner of parliament vote |
Nvidia revenue, outlook beat Street; shares jump |
Analysis: Facebook friends Itaú BBA in nod to Brazil growth |
Viddy gets $30 million funding, aims to stand out from competition |
Cannes film festival puts spotlight on rising stars |
Zooey Deschanel to portray Loretta Lynn on Broadway |
The Dictator film launches in offensive style |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01