THE AGRICULTURE Ministry is pursuing a law that would enable churches and religious communities to reclaim confiscated land and buildings in 2005, according to the news wire SITA.
Churches already had an opportunity to reclaim property in 1994 but many of them failed to do so. The new deadline should give them a second chance.
According to the draft, churches should be able to reclaim real estate confiscated by the state or municipalities from May 8, 1945 until January 1, 1990. Jewish communities may reclaim property as far back as November 2, 1938.
Registered churches and religious communities, in contrast to private individuals, did not receive an extended deadline for lodging claims according to the law on restoring land ownership rights from 2001.
