Prague, Czech Republic - The Czech government's special commission and representatives of churches today definitively agreed on the basic points of the planned bill to settle property relations between the state and churches after many years of protractions, the Culture Ministry has said.
It said Culture Minister Vaclav Jehlicka (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) will acquaint Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek (Civic Democrats, ODS) with the talks' result, and then he will present it to the government and to the public.
"Both the government commission and all 17 churches officially registered in the Czech Republic have voiced their consent to the submission of the basic points to the government," the ministry said.
The negotiating parties have not disclosed the agreement's details.
The plan reportedly combines financial compensation to churches for the property that cannot be returned to them, with physical property restitution.
According to previous information, the state representatives have proposed that churches be given back one-third of their former property, while two-thirds would be subject of financial compensation worth 83 billion crowns to be paid out gradually over a period of 60 to 70 years.
Monastic orders and congregations would receive back their property, while churches and religious societies would mainly be financially compensated for the property that cannot be handed out to them.
The government and the churches previously said the agreement on the property relations settlement is a result of a bilateral compromise.