The Romanian state was sentenced by CEDO to pay fine over religious discrimination. Elsewhere in the news, Gazprom official says it is time for Romania to decide whether it wants to be part of the South Stream project. Last but not least, a 57 year-old Romanian is to preside over the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
Romania was sentenced by the European Court of Human Rights (CEDO) to pay 15,000 euros for religious discrimination against a Greco-Catholic parish, Romania Libera informs. The Romanian state refused the religious institution's right to use an Orthodox church for Sunday masses and the right to take the matter to court, according to Romanian news agency Agerpres.
Greco-Catholic parish representatives from Sambata complained to CEDO, accusing the Romanian state for preventing it to use one of its former churches that was transferred to the Orthodox Church in 1948, after the cult had been dissolved. CEDO judges ruled in favour of the Greco-Catholic parish, deciding that impeaching its right to appeal to justice was discriminatory.
28% of Sambata residents are Greco-Catholics. After the fall of the communism, in 1990, the cult was recognised again and they requested the right to share the church with the Orthodox. The plea was denied and the parish could not appeal to justice because the Romanian law considers that religious ownership of cult buildings is not a matter of court, but of mixed commissions. Strasbourg judges said that the Romanian law needs be changed, since it entails "legislatives gaps suspected to block access to the court".
Adevarul reads Russian energy company Gazprom vice-president Alexander Medvedev says this is the best moment for Romania to clearly express whether or not it wants to be part of the South Stream project, since Bulgaria is delaying its answer. This is the