International Religious Freedom Report, 2013: Macedonia

摘要

The constitution and other laws and policies protect religious freedom and, in practice, the government generally respected religious freedom. Almost all religious groups asserted that the government favored the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric (MOC-OA). Some groups stated that the government inconsistently implemented regulations for the registration of religious groups and the ownership and use of property by religious groups, favoring some, including the MOC-OA, over others. The head of the self-declared Orthodox Archbishopric of Ohrid, which has links to the Serbian Orthodox Church and does not recognize the MOC-OA, remains in prison for embezzlement and was convicted on separate charges of money laundering. Restitution of expropriated properties from the Yugoslav era continued to proceed slowly. There were reports of societal abuse or discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice. At times, ethnic tensions negatively affected religious freedom. The Bektashi community reported harassment and occasional threats from individuals with differing interpretations of Islam. The politicization of religious issues appears to be growing and has had a negative effect on religious tolerance. The Ambassador and other U.S. embassy officers met regularly with religious groups and government officials to discuss issues such as property restitution, interfaith tolerance, and the separation of church and state.