News Notes Vol.
Freedom of religion is guaranteed in Hungary's constitution.
A new draft bill in Parliament, however, would place limits on which churches and religious orders could officially register in the country. Only churches with more than 10,000 followers or a 100-year local history would qualify for religious status here, if the proposal passes. The Parliament has already shown its leaning on the issue, having denied state support earlier this month to several religious orders. The government reallocated funds denied to the four sects to smaller Christian groups. This may be the result of the fact that public officials from these two largest Commonwealth cities have a greater ability to publicize municipal needs.