In an interesting twist to the new zero tolerance drink-driving laws introduced in Hungary in the new year, the clergy is pleading exemption as a few sips of the Blood of Christ and a non-God-fearing cop can potentially lead to an on-the-spot driving ban.The Hungarian Catholic church has sent a letter to justice minister Albert Takács pleading for the strict ban on alcohol to be ignored for priests as they are required to drive between several services a day and and often slurp wine at each stop, reports origo.hu.
The new zero tolerance policy means that even a whiff of alcohol on the driver's breath can result in the loss of the driver's license on the spot.
The letter by the secretary of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference (MKPK) asks the minister to refrain from seizing the driver's license of priests because many of them have to hold services and take communion in several villages on the same day.
They also need to get behind the wheel to complete other key tasks, such as visiting the sick, burials and bible-classes.
There is a precedence for resolving such problems. An agreement made in 1974 between the church and the state office of church affairs made it legal for priests to consume the amount of alcohol needed for the services.
The church suggests that priests are provided with certificates proving that they are required by God to consume alcohol.
Well, at least they didn't want compensation.
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