William Penn Life, 2001 (36. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2001-02-01 / 2. szám
Matters Proposed amendment would redefine which groups qualify as churches from The Budapest Sun Online BUDAPEST — Some churches in Hungary will be more strictly monitored by the government should a proposed amendment be approved by Parliament. The amendment is the government's latest attempt to prevent groups from posing as religious organizations for financial and other gain. "The government is taking precautions to prevent interest groups or pseudo-churches from functioning as real churches while avoiding legal issues like paying taxes," said Zoltán Balogh, chief advisor on religious issues to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Márti Páli, of the investment and economic department of the Ministry of National Heritage, said "the amendment will protect the status of real churches." The amendment states "churches" may not be registered unless they primarily concentrate on religious from wire service reports BUDAPEST — Environmentalists have presented a plan to the Hungarian government which would reduce flooding along the Tisza River by turning 2.5 million acres of farmland into wetlands. The World Wide Fund for Nature claims the land no longer has value as agriculture property and is flooded each spring. The proposal would reverse a 19th century government program which turned much of the land in question from floodplains into farmland. Back then, Count István Széchényi, a prominent reformist, masterminded the project which is credited with saving thousands of lives from activities and social and educational issues. It is hoped this will prevent abuses such as the "church" in southeastern Hungary which was caught selling exhaust pipes as "articles of piety" to avoid paying taxes. Several non-traditional churches, like the Krishna and Faith churches, have called the amendment anti-constitutional, claiming it would pave the way for state interference. Others churches claim they have been unfairly placed alongside churches that are either destructive or abuse religious freedom. Government officials claim the action is in-line with the European Union's requirement to protect citizens from "dangerous sects and cults posing as churches." The amendment, which requires a two-thirds majority to pass, would not affect the seven so-called "historic" church groups: Catholics, Jews, Baptists, Evangelicals, Methodists, Pentecostals and Reformed. flooding and creating additional farmland. But in recent years flooding, usually from water bubbling up from the swollen watertable, has returned, causing millions of dollars in damage along the Tisza. At the same time, there is a decreased need for farmland as Hungary's agricultural markets shrunk with the loss of markets in the former Soviet Union. Hungary's Environmental Ministry is planning to add this proposal to the list of flood prevention measures it is already considering. The conversion of the 2.5 million acres would take place over 30 years. The plan offered no specifics on how the conversion would be funded. Annan pays visit BUDAPEST - United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan was in Hungary for a four-day visit in January, becoming the first head of the UN to touch Hungarian soil in the past 10 years. While in Hungary, Annan met Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Foreign Minister János Martonyi, outgoing President Árpád Göncz and his successor Ferenc Madl and other Hungarian leaders. The discussions touched on the situation in Yugoslavia, the environmental catastrophies that recently hit the eastern and southern regions of Europe, and efforts to stabilize the UN’s finances. Skull relic returned BUDAPEST - The skull relic of King St. Stephen, the founder of the Hungarian state, has finally been returned to Budapest. The fragment of Stephen’s skull was kept for centuries in the Dominican monastery at Dubrovnik, Croatia. It was returned aboard a special plane last August. Hungarian and Croatian officials agreed that the relic would be exhibited in Hungary in the year 2000, marking the millennium of Hungarian statehood and the adoption of Christianity. Calling all Magyars PITTSBURGH - If you have information about Hungarian organizations and activities in your community, please contact us so we can share your news. Write to: John E. Lovász, Managing Editor, William Penn Life, 709 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15233. Or, you can e-mail our editor at: jlovasz@williampennassodation.org Environmentalists seek creation of more wetlands along Tisza to prevent floods nilliam Pen Life, February 2001 11
