Hungary’s New Church Law Called Problematic

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The secretary general of the Council of Europe says Hungary’s church law gives a “generous framework” for religious activity but some of its provisions are problematic.

Thorbjorn Jagland says that since Parliament now decides which religious groups are recognized as churches, the issue “can be politicized, which is not in accordance with the normal standards we have in Europe today.”

Jagland said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday that he expects Hungary to follow the recommendations of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission on the church law, since they are based on European human rights legislation which all members of the council must accept.

Hungary recently cut the number of officially recognized churches from over 350 to 32.