“A deliberate provocation against Catholicism and Christianity”: that’s how Bishop András Veres, secretary of the Hungarian Bishops’ Conference, responds to the accusations of Péter Gusztos, exponent of the Democratic Liberal party. During a press conference on 13 November, Gusztos had said that “the feudal privileges guaranteed to the Churches ought to be re-examined”. He was referring ( inter alia) to the tax exemption of certain benefices and the subsidies for some social activities that, according to the party, amount to 150 % of the subsidies given to the state institutions for the same activities. “I consider the press conference a very deliberate provocation against Catholicism and Christianity said Veres to the Catholic press agency Magyar Kurir -. Against Catholicism, because it calls for the revaluation and possible rewriting of the Cordordat with the Vatican, although everyone knows that it was just on the basis of such Concordats that similar conventions were signed with the other historical Hungarian Churches, such as the Protestant Churches, or the Jewish Community”. “On the other hand he added I consider it a provocation against Christianity, because the text published on the party’s website is expressly directed against Catholics and Protestants”. In view of the forthcoming elections in May 2006, “by playing the card of anti-clericalism today said Veres with irony no doubt it’s possible to win votes”. On 15 November, Hungarian premier Ferenc Gyurcsány declared that the government has no intention of changing the Concordat with the Holy See.
