The Czech Republic signed a treaty over its relations with the Vatican on Thursday, becoming one among the last European Union countries to achieve this.
The lower chamber of Parliament rejected the treaty in 2003, saying the Catholic Church would receive preferential treatment over other churches and that it will be disadvantageous for the country, considered probably the most atheist within the European Union.
The document was signed Thursday in Prague by conservative Prime Minister Petr Fiala and the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
Fiala called it a “balanced” document that “fully respects our legal order.” The full text was not expected to be made public until after the treaty is ratified.
The document still must be approved by each houses of Parliament and ratified by President Petr Pavel to turn into effective.
Among its provisions, the country guarantees the liberty of thought, conscience, and non secular belief and recognizes Catholic marriages. It also gives a legal ground for the Catholic Church to offer religious services in hospitals, prisons, military and police forces.
The Vatican has signed an analogous treaty with 25 EU members states and a complete of 64 countries on the earth, the Czech government said.
Fiala’s coalition government said in its policy statement after it was sworn in following the 2021 general election that it was able to negotiate and approve such a treaty.
