Seductive Burden

All religious denominations registered in Russia can obtain ownership rights to the buildings and lands they occupy, according to the draft law “On the transfer of religious property to religious organizations” prepared by the Ministry of Economic Development, Kommersant wrote on Tuesday.

Work on the bill has been carried out since March 2007 on behalf of the then First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

In the corresponding application to the authorized body, the religious organization will have to “prove its right to receive the property,” including maintaining it “in good condition,” carrying out repairs and bearing all maintenance costs. At the same time, the new owner does not have the right to change the purpose of the returned property and transfer it to third parties for ten years.

In addition, the transfer of buildings and structures for religious purposes will be possible only after a decision to provide the enterprises and institutions located in them with other premises and does not apply to architectural monuments.

Some commentators are frightened that the church may become an even bigger owner than it is now. In fact, very often property is a burden for the church. She still manages the property at her own discretion, since religious property is in her free, perpetual use, but she does not pay taxes on it and is not fully responsible for its safety. If the property becomes the full-fledged property of religious organizations, they will certainly be burdened with additional financial and material concerns. Let us remember the story of the proposal to transfer to the church all the lands that belonged to it before the revolution. Patriarch Alexy II then made it clear that the church was not ready for such offerings.

So it is possible that the new law will bring great benefits to the state: it will get rid of the need to maintain religious buildings, which is especially important during the financial crisis.