The new Czech commission of experts to deal with the text of the Czech-Vatican treaty that has not yet been passed and to make recommendations facilitating its ratification by Czech parliament will meet for the first time on Tuesday, its head Hynek Kmonicek told CTK yesterday. Kmonicek, deputy foreign minister, said representatives of the state only will meet first in order to assess the situation.
Also present at the meeting is to be a representative of the Presidential Office because the president signs the approved treaties.
The commission, a member of which is also new Prague Archbishop Dominik Duka, is to assess the unapproved document that defines the position of churches and recommend it for ratification soon.
Czech diplomacy says politicians seem to have the will to reach progress on the matter. The Vatican has made it clear it does not want to change the text approved.
However, the stands of Czech parties on the treaty differ. It ensues from previous information that TOP 09, one of the probable future government parties, supports the text without any reservations.
The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) that will probably fill the post of prime minister has made it clear that ratification is needed, but under the condition that church restitution is completed.
The new party in parliament and a possible government coalition partner, Public Affairs (VV), says the separation of the church and state must first be solved.
"It is necessary to set a new system of funding churches. We propose that tax assignations be introduced," the VV's Kristyna Koci told CTK yesterday.
The Social Democratic Party (CSSD), that will probably go into opposition, and the Communists (KSCM) also represented in parliament, spoke about the need to make changes in the treaty's text.
The Czech government and representatives of the Catholic Church signed the Czech-Vatican treaty in 2002 already, but it has not yet been ratified.
The Chamber of Deputies rejected the treaty in 2003, saying it is disadvantageous for the state and that it violates the principle of equality of churches. The Vatican was displeased with this.
President Vaclav Klaus also had objections to the treaty then.
Relations between the Presidential Office and the church have improved since Duka assumed his office in April and the two sides have found a common tongue on some questions at issue, including a years-long dispute between the state and church over ownership of St Vitus's Cathedral at Prague Castle.
Klaus and Duka signed an agreement on joint care of the cathedral on April 24.
The Czech-Vatican treaty defines the relationship between the Czech state and the Roman Catholic Church, but it does not deal with the funding of churches.
The treaty mainly covers the state and the church's activities in culture, education, health care and the social sphere.
It provides for churches establishing legal entities and church facilities. It also counts with that a possible change to the current way of funding will not affect the financial coverage of the church.
SIC: PDM