The release date of Zelená Hora for the church is still not clear

Žďár nad Sázavou - The deadline for signing the agreement between the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) and the church regarding the restitution of the pilgrimage church of St. John of Nepomuk on Zelená Hora in Žďár nad Sázavou as part of the so-called church restitutions is still unclear. NPÚ still does not have all the documents necessary to assess the application. The documents could be supplemented at a meeting between NPÚ representatives and the Brno Bishopric in early March. Simona Juračková from the NPÚ's external relations department informed ČTK.
    “NPÚ has requested additional information beyond its obligations to gather maximum information related to the site and its transfer to the state,” stated Juračková. The National Archive, the Ministry of Culture Archive, the State District Archive of Žďár nad Sázavou, and the City Office of Žďár nad Sázavou have complied with NPÚ's requests and sent the recovered documents, while the bishopric has not yet responded. “We expect this addition at a personal meeting with representatives of the Brno Bishopric in the first half of March,” added Juračková.
    According to spokesperson Martina Jandlová, the Brno Bishopric responded to NPÚ's request for additional documentation with a letter in December 2013. “We expect further clarification of the situation and an agreement on specific steps at a personal meeting between NPÚ and the bishopric representatives. We believe in the willingness of NPÚ to cooperate,” Jandlová told ČTK.
    The calls for the return of property that have come to NPÚ are, according to NPÚ Director General Naděždy Goryczkové, often incomplete, and it is necessary to urge applicants to supplement their requests. NPÚ is also conducting its own extensive investigations. “We are performing more actions than the law requires to ensure that we evaluate each application unambiguously,” added Goryczková. NPÚ evaluates the submitted documents in cooperation with an external law firm.
    In the case of church restitutions, according to NPÚ data, the obligation lies with the applicant to prove the grievance. The applicant must demonstrate that the requested property belonged to the original assets of the relevant church. They must also provide proof of any legal succession and some additional data.
    The pilgrimage church of St. John of Nepomuk on Zelená Hora is one of the most significant monuments that should be returned to the church. Other monuments for which the church organizations have applied include the Bouzov Castle, Porta Coeli Monastery in Předklášteří, Sázava Monastery, and the castles in Týniště, Žďár nad Sázavou, or Kroměříž.
    Churches that have entered into an agreement with the state are entitled by law to receive real estate worth approximately 75 billion crowns. Over 30 years, the state will also pay them 59 billion crowns adjusted for inflation. At the same time, state subsidies to churches will be gradually reduced to zero. The first payment of approximately two billion was received by the churches at the end of the year. According to the law, the state will act similarly in subsequent years, with the Ministry of Culture disbursing funds no later than December 31 of the calendar year. After the first payment is made, the outstanding amount will increase annually by the annual inflation rate.