DAR AL HARB - SPAIN: FUNDS TO THE CHURCH WILL BE DENIED AFTER THE ELECTIONS - - - ISLAM WILL OF COURSE RECEIVE THEIRS

Government warns church relations will change after election

Madrid, 5 Feb.(AKI) - The deputy leader of Spain's ruling Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), Jose Blanco, has warned that relations between the party and the Catholic church will change after general elections due to take place on March 9.

In an interview with the Spanish daily ABC, Blanco fell short of discussing a review of the 1979 economic accord between the Spanish state and the Vatican, but said "nothing will be the same" following the elections if the PSOE remains in power.

Under the accord, the Spanish government agreed to ensure that the church had "adequate means" for its economic support and provides the church with income drawn from public taxes.

But in the Spanish newspaper, Blanco spoke about definitive steps to make the church "self-funded".

"I admit this is becoming more difficult,[for the Church] because it keeps losing members," he said.

Government sources told ABC that the church could lose 'privileges' not only in relation to finance, but it could include the celebration of State funerals for terrorism victims, and the dominant presence of the Catholic faith in the army.

"The [Church's] ecclesiastical hierarchy is constantly looking for confrontation with the legitimate Spanish government, despite [the government's] efforts to establish dialogue and understanding " said Blanco.

The row began when a 10-point document released by the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) urged voters to endorse politicians who support the sanctity of the family and oppose dialogue with terrorist organisations, such as ETA.

The document fell short of endorsing Spain's Conservative Partido Popular (PP).

Spanish premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero described the church's attitude as "immoral that bishops, as well as the PP use terrorism for their political campaigning."

Dolors Nadal, a candidate for Spain's PP, reacted to Blanco's declarations, calling it "anti-democratic" and a "heavy attack on the church".



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1) Government warns church relations will change after election