Partners, non antagonists” “

The Council of Christian Churches and the Muslim Community in the Slovenian Republic are preoccupied for the government’s decision to tax property devoted to religious activity, announced a few weeks ago. The measures sparked off “a hot public debate, while failing to involve the interested parties, namely the faithful and the religious communities” – father Tadej Strehovec, general secretary of the Slovenian Bishops’ Conference, told SIR Europe. “Slovenia enjoys a unique geostrategic position in Europe – he said – it was the first Country in ex Yugoslavia to become a member of euro-Atlantic institutions. It borders with four major European language groups, and acts as a linguistic and cultural bridge linking the Muslim community in the Balkans, the Orthodox Churches and the Catholic Church”. In such a position “it could provide a valid contribution to the dialogue of the authorities with religions. However – pointed out the Secretary of the Bishops’ Conference – perhaps for a young democracy the expectations are too high”. An alliance to protect the family. Over the past years the Church in Slovenia experienced a period of major changes. “The Catholic community, after having been subjected to many years of Socialist totalitarianism in the 20th century, is now gaining awareness of its civil rights, as it emerged last year in the campaign for the preservation of the traditional family”; said father Strehovec. “Catholic faithful, in cooperation with other religious communities, made their voiced their protests against the redefinition of families and against the adoption of children by homosexual couples”. The affirmation of Catholic’s voice in public life signalled an important moment also in the progress of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue. “Christian and Muslim religious leaders signed a joint statement containing an appeal to vote against the changes to the law on the family”. Unity of religious communities. The dialogue continues, prepared to face new challenges. Religious leaders met again a few days ago after last year’s meeting to discuss the details of a joint Statement calling upon the government to exclude places of worship from property tax and leave the law on religious freedom unchanged. “If the two measures passed parliamentary procedures – the general secretary explained – the lives of the faithful and of the religious communities in the Country would be direly affected”. Property tax envisages “the inclusion of places for prayer, with remarkable tax burden, thereby passing on the donations for charity and aid to the poor to the tax revenue office”, thus “forcing religious communities to cut the – already insufficient – activities undertaken in schools, and in cultural and pastoral environments”. New openings. Despite the obstacles, the ongoing situation of crisis was marked by “fruitful cooperation for dialogue among religions in Slovenia, not on paper but inimportant aspects of daily life”, underlined father Strehovec. “A similar dialogue and cooperation with the government and with public bodies is lacking – he said – as many laws are adopted unilaterally without consulting religious representatives”. The situation is expected to change thanks to the joint Statement, with the full involvement and participation of the religions “as partners and not as antagonists”, outlined the Secretary of the Conference of Catholic Bishops. “For this reason we call upon the government to promote open relations under the banner of cooperation – he added – so that the difficult moments experienced by the Country and its people may become an opportunity to step up our joint commitment regarding social questions and in the development of school, pastoral, formative and charitable activity”. “The challenges – he concluded – should serve as a springboard for new opportunities and for a society based on mutual respect and dialogue”.