Czech Republic - Churches to Get Restitution for Seized Property - NYTimes.com The Czech government agreed Wednesday to pay billions of dollars in compensation to churches for property seized by the former Communist government. The deal threatened to topple the coalition government earlier this week after a junior partner voiced anger at the thought of huge sums being paid to churches in the middle of the European debt crisis. But even in a country where indifference to religion is strong, the compensation plan - to be spread over 30 years - seems advantageous to both sides. The government would no longer have to pay priests" salaries, and religious groups would finally receive payment after several previous attempts failed. Under the plan, the nation's 17 churches, including the Roman Catholic and Protestant sects, would get back 56 percent of their old property now held by the state - estimated to be worth $3.7 billion. They would also get $2.9 billion over the next 30 years, and the state would gradually stop covering their expenses over the next 17 years.