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2016

  • Current debates in 2016:

Current debates that concern law and religion issues in 2016 the Czech Republic are immigration, before all from Islamic countries, relations of the public to Islam, and reactions to the Islamic terrorism in all the Europe and America.

Immigration

One case especially attracted the attention of the public. It was the attempt to accept Arabic immigrants of Christian faith from Iraq, from January till April 2016. Organizers hoped it would be easier to integrate these people, with a cultural background closer to the Czech society than Islamic ones. The second reason was the offer of Christian denominations in the Czech Republic to take care of the immigrants, with the help of Czech Christian families and facilities. The first phase of organized immigration was to bring to the Czech Republic 153 immigrants from Iraq.

The process was thoroughly organized by a foundation led by Czech Christians from several denominations with the help of the Czech State, especially the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic. 89 immigrants came by plane to the Czech Republic, and were accommodated in well prepared adequate facilities. The language and professional teachers were ready to do all for their integration in some months. After this preparatory course they had secured work places and permanent residence in the Czech Republic. Their further integration was even prepared, with the help of Christian denominations.

After some time, part of these immigrants decided to immigrate illegally to Germany, and a another part returned home. The rest of them stayed in the Czech Republic and fulfilled the agreed requirements.
The above-mentioned behaviour of a substantial part of the immigrants disappointed the Czech public, even the Christians. The transmigration of a group to Germany is especially still connected with bitterness. The behaviour of these immigrants, who had been like the others accepted with love as asylum seekers, seemed to have a rude economic background. The knowledge of their ingratitude is an obstacle to the further opening to immigration.

Property settlement

Other topic of debates has been the practical realization of the Act No. 428/2012 Sb., on Property Settlement with Churches and Religious Societies. The Act lays down the process of partial restitution of economic property and its partial compensation. Litigation concerning the restitution of some pieces of church property was the topic of media discussions. Some cases have been settled to the detriment of religious institutions, only because of formal reasons.

  • Good Friday, a national public holiday of the Czech Republic

The Senate, the second chamber of the Czech Parliament, approved on its session on 2 December 2015 an amendment to an Act on holidays reintroducing Good Friday as a national statutory holiday of the Czech Republic. The bill was submitted by a group of 93 deputies of the House of Deputies, a lower chamber of the Czech Parliament, belonging to various political parties. The Act was signed by the President of the Czech Republic and published under No. 359/2015 Sb. It came into force on 21 December 2015.
Good Friday had been a national public holiday from the founding of Czechoslovakia in 1918 till 1952, when it was cancelled as a legal holiday by the communist regime.
The number of public holidays in the Czech Republic is 14.

D 5 December 2016    AZáboj Horák

CNRS Unistra Dres Gsrl

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