Folia Theologica 9. (1998)
Józef Krukowski: The Issues of the Negotiations of Concordats
THE ISSUES OF THE NEGOTIATIONS OF CONCORDATS 3 1 Experience point out that where there is no proper socio-political climate it is difficult to carry on negotiations. Therefore, by way of a social dialogue it is necessary to explain to people, especially by means of the mass media. The need to conclude concordat as a means serving stabilisation in the interior life of the country through religious freedom and successful co-operation between the state and the Church in the attainment of common good. The effectiveness of negotiations to a much extent depends an the good will of the political elites, especially of the political parties which are in majority in the Parliament, that is the parties which wield the power in a state. Historical experiences show that the socio-political climate favouring concordat negotiations is created by the political elites who are moderate in their actions. On the other hand, the obstacles are created by the elites of those political parties which are guided by extreme ideological assumptions. These extremities occur both in the right — wing and left — wing elites. This can be seen in contradictory tendencies which threaten religious freedom and which appear in the statements and decisions of political personalities or the actions of political parties. For example, an initiative of the Holy See, which after the Vatican Council II aimed at the revision of the vertical concordat with Spain, was blocked by extreme right-wing authorities. When Pope Paul VI put forward a suggestion to revise the concordat which limited the religious freedom, then General F. Franco replied that he could not give up the privileges secured in the concordat, as they constituted an integral element of the Spanish nation’s heritage. That is why the revision of the concordat with Spain took place only after General Franco was dead at the stage of political transformations leading to democracy, in the years 1976-1979. On the other hand, in Poland ratification of a horizontal concordat negotiated at the stage of political transformations leading from totalitarianism towards democracy, which was signed on July 28, 1993 by the “Solidarity” government, was blocked in the Seym by post-communist parties which attempted to restore the limits on religious freedom. As a consequence of that blockade, concordat ratification will be suspended until the following Parliamentary elections. Therefore, one must state that negotiations aiming at concordat conclusion is a tedious and complex process. Usually, their effectiveness is related to the socio-political climate, but first of all to the good will on
