Giese & Partner has successfully represented the interests of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta – Czech Grand Priory before the Constitutional Court on property restitution.
According to Giese & Partner, the case had to do with the “systematic oppression and loss of church property during the communist regime. Many representatives of the churches as well as ordinary believers were victimized just for their beliefs. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, which brought the 40 year-lasting communist dictatorship to an end, the newly established democratic state obliged itself to compensate the material losses of the churches. However, it took until 2012 to enact special legislation enabling the restitution of the historical property of the churches.”
According to the firm, “one of the orders which suffered under the communist regime is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta – Czech Grand Priory. This order traditionally focuses on charity, operation of hospitals, supports handicapped and elderly people as well as people in need. Now [the firm has] succeeded and pushed through their arguments in the proceedings before the Czech Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court declared that the Sovereign Military Order of Malta – Czech Grand Priory is entitled to request the return of its historical property on the basis of the restitution legislation.”
Giese & Partner’s team included Managing Associate Ondrej Rathousky and Senior Associate Lenka Charvatova.