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Agreement of 9 July 2004 on the legal status of the Serbian Orthodox Church

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Serbian Orthodox Church Metropolitanate of Zagreb and Ljubljana (hereinafter: the Serbian Orthodox Church) have agreed as follows:

1. Legal personality of the Serbian Orthodox Church

The Serbian Orthodox Church Metropolitanate of Zagreb and Ljubljana is a legal entity of private law.
Legal entities of private law in the Republic of Slovenia may be also all territorial and personal church institutions that are provided such personality based on the internal legislation of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The church management shall in line with the legislation of the Republic of Slovenia report/register them to/with the competent national body.
Legal entities of the Serbian Orthodox Church may in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Slovenia buy, own, exploit and dispose real estate and movable property as well as acquire or dispose title rights.

2. Freedom of organisation and conduct of pastoral and educational activity, and jurisdiction

The Serbian Orthodox Church is under the Constitution and the legislation of the Republic of Slovenia provided the freedom of worship, religious instructions and all other activities.
In line with the Constitution and the legislation of the Republic of Slovenia, the Serbian Orthodox Church shall organise religious ceremonies also outside the premises of the religious community, as well as other public religious gatherings.

3. Freedom of forming church structures and appointing persons in charge of them

The Serbian Orthodox Church shall be solely competent for the formation, alteration and cancellation of its individual structures according to its internal legislation.
The competent bodies of the Serbian Orthodox Church shall in line with their internal organisation set up church services and appoint persons in charge of them.

4. Freedom of establishing and maintaining contacts

The Serbian Orthodox Church and all its legal entities may freely establish and maintain contacts as well as co-operate with church and other institutions, organisations and persons, either in the Republic of Slovenia or elsewhere in the world.

5. Freedom of access to public media and establishment of own media

The Serbian Orthodox Church shall have equal freedom, conditions and rights to establish public media as other legal entities in the Republic of Slovenia.
The Serbian Orthodox Church shall have equal possibility of access to national and other public media as other legal entities.

6. Freedom of creating church associations

Legal entities of the Serbian Orthodox Church may in line with the legislation of the Republic of Slovenia create associations.
Pursuant to the legislation of the Republic of Slovenia, religious believers may freely create their own associations with the purposes and goals related to the activities of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and may freely and publicly operate within them.
Legal entities of the Serbian Orthodox Church may establish foundations, set up and functioning in line with the legislation of the Republic of Slovenia.

7. Freedom of establishing educational institutions

Pursuant to the legislation of the Republic of Slovenia, the Serbian Orthodox Church is entitled to establish educational institutions, secondary school and university students’ halls of residence and other similar institutions, and in them freely implement educational activities according to its Articles of Association.
The State shall support these institutions under equal conditions as other similar private institutions.
The status of secondary school and university students and pupils of these institutions is equal to that of secondary school and university students and pupils of other public institutions.

8. Preserving historical and cultural heritage

The competent national and church bodies shall co-operate to preserve and maintain cultural monuments and other cultural property and archives, owned by the Church or the State, related to the Serbian Orthodox Church.

9. Pastoral activities in hospitals, nursing homes and special institutions

The Republic of Slovenia provides for comprehensive observance of the religious freedom of individuals in hospitals, health resorts, prisons, military barracks and other institutions where the movement of the persons present is limited or prevented.
In these institutions the Serbian Orthodox Church may provide spiritual care according to the sectoral legislation.

10. Equation of church charity organisations with other charity organisations

Charity and other social church institutions and organisations engaged in charity work and social solidarity, organised in line with the Slovenian legislation, shall be in terms of relief, assistance and other incentive measures equal to other similar institutions in the country.

11.

The Agreement refers to the legal position of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the territory of the Republic of Slovenia.

Jovan Pavlovic, Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana, Serbian Orthodox Church
Zdenka Cerar, Chairwoman of the Committee of the government of the RS for solving open issues of religious communities

Made this 9th day of July 2004 in Ljubljana.

(Translation : Government of the Republic of Slovenia, Office for Religious Communities)