On Wednesday Parliament passed new rules concerning the recognition of church organisations, following the decision of the Constitutional Court, which annulled some passages in the original church law. Most of the amended legislation's provisions will take effect on August 1, 2013.

All religious organisations will be entitled to call themselves a church under the amended law adopted with 237 votes in favour and 72 against. The government-sponsored amendment stipulates that religious communities are the churches recognised by Parliament as well as organisations that pursue religious activities. The latter are to be registered by the Municipal Court.

Criteria for recognised churches, a status which carries the right to state grants, include a history of at least one hundred years, or a history of twenty years in Hungary and a community of a minimum of 0.1% of the Hungarian population. Such organisations must not pose a risk to national security and must cooperate with government agencies for community purposes.

Organisations whose church status has been rejected by Parliament can in the future appeal to the Constitutional Court, which will have the power to review parliament's decision.

Organisations which lost their church status under the original church law but which should be granted recognition after the contested stipulation were thrown out, have a 30-day deadline to re-apply for recognition. The amendment also stipulates that religious education shall be financed from state funds.

(MTI, Ministry of Human Resources)