New Hungarian Constitution Revokes Nation's Recognition of Islam & Other Religions

[rug]

2012/01/04

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The new Hungarian constitution withdraws official recognition and tax exempt status from over 300 religious denominations. Included on the new black list are: all denominations of Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, as well as several Catholic orders, Episcopalians, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Methodists and others.

The new constitution introduces a law on religious life in Hungary that only last month was struck down as unconstitutional by the nation's Constitutional Court.

The constitution - called new Basic Law - strips Bulgarians of many of their liberies and concentrates unprecedented power in the central government.

The passage of the new constitution marks the crowning achievement of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's center-right Fidesz party, 18 months into its rule. The party won 53 percent of the vote in the spring of 2010, resulting in 68 percent of the seats in parliament, enough to radically change Hungary's legal landscape

http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&id=288543

[Jim__]

1. That sounds like bad news.

The collapse of the Soviet empire, while generally a good thing, is still playing out.

[tama]

2. It's not all bad

The biggest complaint by TPTB has been that the new constitutions gives politicians - at least a resemblance of democracy, if not more - more powers over the Central Bank and strips away the "independence" of the money creation system, the de facto rule by banksters.

As for the article, it's bit vague, and I see no problem in principal in canceling tax exempt for religious organizations.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. It cancels tax exemption for *some* religious organizations

but leaves it in place for those the government decides it likes.

What does the law on churches do? It creates 14 state-recognized religions, and decertifies the rest. On January 1, over 300 denominations lose their official status in Hungary--including their tax exemptions and their abilities to run state-funded schools.

While most of the denominations are tiny, many are not. Among the religions that will no longer be able to operate with state approval are all versions of Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Baha’i, as well as many smaller Catholic orders including the Benedictines, Marists, Carmelites and Opus Dei, and a number of major Protestant denominations including Episcopalians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons, Methodists, and all but one of the evangelical churches. One each of the orthodox, conservative and liberal Jewish synagogues are recognized; but all other Jewish congregations are not.

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=12860

There's a lot more to the rest of it than just central bank control:

Critics say the law curbs constitutional court powers, threatens media pluralism and ends judicial independence, while accompanying cardinal laws will limit central bank independence, tilt future elections in Fidesz's favour and perpetuate its tax policy, effectively tying the hands of future governments.

Moreover, with mandates of between nine and 12 years, key posts such as the public prosecutor, constitutional judges and the head of the state audit office - many of whom are Fidesz appointees - can remain in office even if there is a change of government.

Any future government "will find itself faced with a massive institutional system loyal to Fidesz", law expert Peter Hack told AFP. "All formerly independent institutions are now under the direct or indirect influence of Fidesz."

The constitution also references God, defines marriage as a union between man and woman and life as beginning at conception, sparking criticism from international organisations and EU members.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8397336

[tama]

4. Thanks for the info

Too bad "international socialism" has been a long time the most efficient proponent of interests of international capital, so people have had to turn to national socialism and traditional xenophobic values, when the so called "progressives" and "liberals" have now only to offer the bitter IMF pill, in Hungary and elsewhere...

[Viva_Daddy]

5. The Hungaruans have really stepped in it.

I'm for Nationstates to recognize either ALL religions or NONE. When Nationstates start playing favorites, their just asking for a rise of dangerous and unpredictable religious strife...between religious groups and between religious groups and the Nationstate.