Social Democrat accuses Catholic Church of Nazi collaboration

A Social Democrat member of the lower house of Parliament caused an uproar in the chamber on Friday when he accused the Catholic Church of being one of the biggest partners of the Nazi regime in Germany. Igor Jakubčík added that the church has also agreed to the expulsion and murder of Jews during the Second World War and helped Nazis at the end of the war to escape to South America. He was speaking during the debate on an amendment to current restitution rules which would give more time to examine church demands for property confiscated during the Communist era. Jakubčík's remarks were attacked by members of the Christian Democrat party and the right-of-Centre Civic Democrats. He latter said that he had nothing against the current church and regretted what had happened after the Communist takeover in 1948.

Author: Jan Velinger