Prague, Czech Republic - The Ecumenical Council of Churches (ERC) fears a growing restriction of religious freedom in the Czech Republic in connection with Tuesday's decision by the Constitutional Court to turn down an amendment to the Church Act, ERC head Pavel Cerny said.
The court turned down a proposal by a group of senators to abolish a controversial amendment to the Church Act that had been pushed through by the left and that churches say limits their rights.
The ruling has already been condemned by the Czech Bishops' Conference of the Roman-Catholic Church. Today it was joined by the ERC, associating other churches in the Czech Republic.
The critics say the amendment to the law passed in 2005 interferes in the churches' rights to establish spiritual and other institutions such as charities, schools and medical facilities according to their own norms.
The controversial provision provides for the state registering legal entities established by churches.
"The churches consider it unacceptable to separate diaconias, charities and church shools from their existence. The social service to people in need and education are an inseparable part of the life of the church. We do not like the bureaucrats to decide on the registration of these institutions," Cerny said.
The supporters of the law, especially the opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) and the Communists (KSCM), pointed out that churches must act and establish their organisations according to the Czech Republic's legal order.
The opponents, on the contrary, said the duty of registration violates the churches' independence, that is undemocratic and unconstitutional and returns the situation of religious societies before 1990.
They pointed out that authorities could bully churches by placing obstacles to the registration of their organisations.
The disputed bill was rejected by the Senate in 2005, but the left-wing deputies overrode the Senate decision it in the Chamber of Deputies.
The bill was then signed by President Vaclav Klaus, which Cardinal Miloslav Vlk described as an unconstitutional step.
The proposal to abolish the amendment was submitted to the Constitutional Court in January 2006 and it was signed by 25 then senators.