"Czech officials OK religious compensation" Associated Press, January 12, 2012
PRAGUE - Churches were seized, priests jailed or executed, and those who were still allowed to lead religious services did so under the watchful eye of the secret police. More than 22 years after the fall of Communism, the Czech government agreed yesterday to pay billions of dollars in compensation for property seized by the former totalitarian regime.
The deal threatened to topple the current coalition government earlier this week after a junior partner voiced anger at the thought of huge sums being paid to churches in the middle of the European debt crisis.
But even in a country where indifference to religion is strong, the compensation plan - to be spread over 30 years - proved to be a win-win situation....
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