Part of Vatican treaty unconstitutional, top court rules

The Constitutional Court has ruled that parts of a treaty between Czechia and the Vatican conflict with the country’s constitutional order, preventing its ratification unless the issues are resolved. The court flagged unlimited protection of confession secrecy and restricted access to church archives as problematic, saying they breach state neutrality and equality, concerns that had also been raised earlier by President Petr Pavel. The agreement, signed in 2024 by then prime minister Petr Fiala, would grant the Catholic Church privileged status, the court said. The Czech Bishops' Conference disagreed with the ruling but said it respects it as binding.