BRUSSELS, Belgium — The Greek government’s decision to exclude mention of religious affiliation and other personal details from state-issued identity cards has been in force since July 24. But the Greek government has raised new issues by challenging the role of the Orthodox Church in the country.
The government now plans to investigate the question of taxation and ownership of church property and to redistribute monastery land to landless people. The latter issue will undoubtedly inflame troubled relations with the Orthodox Church after the row over new identity cards.
“The issue will have to be discussed through a structural dialogue,” Telemachos Hytiris told reporters. “This dialogue should take place as soon as possible,” he added.
The state beat a hasty retreat when it last tried to tax church property in the 1980s after hundreds of thousands of Orthodox faithful took to the streets to protest.
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