Urging the Government of Romania to recognize its responsibilities to provide equitable, prompt, and fair…

Notes with concern the unwillingness of past Romanian governments to provide fair restitution of religious property confiscated by the former Communist government of Romania.

Calls on the Government of Romania to: (1) respect the constitutional rights of all religious communities to practice their religion in respectable locations and openly communicate their religious beliefs; (2) provide fair restitution, including agricultural and forestry land restitution, to all religious communities under Romanian law and in accordance with the Constitution of Rumania and all international agreements to which Romania is a party; and (3) amend Decree-Law 126/1990 to require that claims involving Romanian Greek Catholic properties be heard by an independent nonreligious commission, and to prevent the demolition of Greek Catholic churches.

Calls upon the Government of Romania, with respect to Romanian Law No. 501/2002, to: (1) amend the law to reflect the principle of "restitution in integrum" and restore full property ownership; (2) reduce to one year the period during which public institutions can continue to occupy confiscated religious properties; (3) provide compensation for demolished religious properties; (4) increase the rent paid to religious communities for properties which they cannot immediately regain use; (5) cease requiring religious communities to cover state maintenance costs for confiscated buildings; and (6) obligate local governments to cooperate in implementing Special Restitution Committee decisions.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov