The Federal Council approves the draft that had stirred controversy and complaints from religious minority communities.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The Russian Federal Council approved November 25 the bill for “the restitution of religious property nationalized by the state. " The draft, which is challenged by leaders of the Catholic Church in Russia is now binding law, passed by 122 senators in favour and none against.

The new law provides that federal regional and municipal agencies in possession of property nationalized after the October Revolution (1917) transfer or grant free use for a fixed period of such property to religious organizations.

The Federal Council had reassured the representatives of the Russian museums who saw a potential danger to the historical and artistic heritage of the country in the new law: that by ending up in the hands of the Orthodox Patriarchate and other religious bodies without much disposable income, important works of religious art may be lost. The spokesman for the Russian Senate explained to Interfax agency that "the objects belonging to the collections of the national, museum, archives and library will not be transferred to religious organizations".

No assurance, however, for the religious minority communities who had complained that the law favours the Russian Orthodox Church. Among the "injustices" brought to light there is, for example, the assigning to the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Kaliningrad, the former Catholic church of the Holy Family. The Orthodox community responded with a threatening tone to complaints made by the Archbishop of the Mother of God in Moscow, Mgr. Paolo Pezzi. (NA)

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• restitution
• law