Communist Party stages rally against church property return

Prague, Sept 18 (CTK) - About 200 people attended a public rally against the return of property to churches staged by the Communist party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) yesterday.

It was attended by party leader Vojtech Filip.

The demonstrators moved to the area before the Chamber of Deputies where they submitted their petition sheets.

The petition, so far signed by almost 36,000 people, said the signatories disagreed with the return of property because they still did not know what property and land should be returned and to what the churches were entitled.

The petition goes on to say that in the current complicated economic situation, it is a luxury to release the property worth 75 billion crowns to churches, while another 59 billion crowns are to be added in 30 years.

Under the government bill, Czech churches are to be returned land and real estate, now held by the state, worth some 75 billion crowns.

They would have to prove that they are entitled to the property and that it was confiscated from them between February 25, 1948, the day of the Communist coup in then Czechoslovakia, and January 1, 1990, following the fall of the communist regime.

Besides, the churches would get 59 billion crowns for real estate held by municipalities, regions or individuals over a period of 30 years, which is two billion crowns annually. Inflation could raise the total sum up to 96 billion crowns.

The largest sum, 47 billion crowns, would go to the Roman Catholic Church.

The state is to gradually cease financing the churches. The transitional period is to last 17 years.

The demonstrators waved red flags and banners saying "No to Church Restitutions" and "No to Gift to Churches."

($1=18.719 crowns)