ODS deputy group chairman Petr Tluchor said, however, on Saturday all ODS deputies will support the bill in first reading. Tlusty claims he supports settlement with churches, but the bill must be renegotiated. "The construction of the bill is defective.
The sum to be paid out has been calculated by the other side (churches...," Tlusty said. 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 270 billion crowns due to interests over the next 60 Czech minister allows for changes in settlement with churches ...
Czech church restitution bill's fate uncertain ...
Hundreds of pages disappear from Czech serious crime file ... years. Besides, the state would pay a "transitional" contribution to the churches over the first 20 years. Tlusty objects to both the sum and the 60-year payments calendar. "I am convinced that we, deputies, representatives of those who will be paying it, must insist on that it must be calculated objectively. When it is counted objectively, let it be paid, but not by instalments. There is no reason to throw our grandchildren into debt," Tlusty told Pravo. Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) said today some changes could be made in the bill on settlement between the state and churches if a part of ODS refused to support his government bill. He said, however, that churches would have to agree with the possible changes, and Tlusty agrees with this. Irena Sargankova, spokeswoman for the Czech bishops' Conference, told CTK that the negotiating about possible changes in the bill would be complex and difficult with regard for the fact that 17 churches have reached agreement on the bill. The opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) and Communists (KSCM) also oppose the government bill. They say the bill is a concession the ODS made to the KDU-CSL in exchange for its support for the re-election of Vaclav Klaus, ODS honorary chairman, as president in February.
(Ceske Noviny)
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