International Religious Freedom Report, 2004: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macendonia

摘要

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. There was no overall change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report. The continued absence of provocative actions by state and non-state actors, and focus on a unified state for all citizens, has maintained a status of respect for religious freedom. The law places some limits on religious practice by restricting the establishment of places of worship and restricting where contributions may be made. The generally amicable relationship among the various religious communities contributed to religious freedom. However, an area of concern is the deterioration in relations within the Orthodox Church community, specifically between the Serbian and Macedonian Orthodox churches. The Government openly sided with the Macedonian Church in this ongoing dispute. The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government as part of its overall policy to promote human rights.