01/07/2012 Hungary (ONN) - Religion is a little freer in Hungary today because of a rush to judgment by the Hungarian Parliament
In June of last year the Parliament of Hungary passed what is considered one of the most oppressive religion laws in Europe.
“The law would have automatically de-registered 348 of the 362 religions currently registered in Hungary leaving only 14 to operate as religions,” says Joe Grieboski of The Institute on Religion & Public Policy. “Of those 14, it did not include 90 percent of the evangelical churches, the reform Jewish community, any Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists or the Hare Krishnas, and countless others.”
He explains that the law established an onerous re-registration process requiring church groups to prove presence in Hungary for at least 20 years; thus if it existed under Communism, it would be legal.
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“The good news is that in their rush to pass the legislation, the Parliament violated the constitution currently in force on how laws are to be passed and the Constitutional Court found the law to be unconstitutional and struck it down,” adds the Institute spokesman.
The law was reportedly passed because a majority of members felt the existing 1990 law was too liberal. Parliament is likely to revisit the subject again.
