Czech lawmakers approve taxation of church restitution plan

PRAGUE, Czech Republic – Czech lawmakers on Tuesday approved a proposal drafted by Communist lawmakers to tax the compensation that the country’s churches receive from the state for property seized by the former Communist regime.

The 114-57 vote in favour of the proposal in the lower house is a further sign of the rising influence of the Communists.

The Communist Party isn’t part of the centre-left ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Andrej Babis, but it has provided support in a confidence vote.

The lower house first approved the proposal in January, but the Senate vetoed it a month later.

Churches in the country, including the Catholic Church and the Jewish community, have had some property held by the state returned, and they are also to receive around $3 billion over 30 years.

They oppose the tax and plan to challenge it at the constitutional Court once it’s signed into law by President Milos Zeman.