The Forming Process of the New Model of the Relationship between Church and State in the Czech Republic after the Property Settlement

Abstract

This article analyses the contemporary legal situation of the churches and religious societies position in the Czech Republic, in the context of the newly approved Law No 428/2012 Coll., the property settlement with churches and religious societies of 2012/12/5, which came into effect on 2013/1/1. The process to this law was very difficult and lengthy. The law itself contains a natural restitution and a financial compensation as well. Newly configured model is based on a combination of a law and agreements with individual churches. This model tries to resolve a historic church property and al-so separate the churches and religious societies financial holding from the state in the future, and enable a churches financial self-sufficiency. Also, the article analyses new specific instruments of the Catholic Church, which are established for the manage-ment of its property in the Czech Republic.