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Angelo Bagnasco calls for 'serious, relentless' action against tax dodgers, prompting speculation of government accord

It has long been regarded as more of a national sport than a misdemeanor. And it has long benefited from the seemingly boundless indulgence of the Italian Roman Catholic church.

But now the head of the Italian bishops' conference, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, has unambiguously declared that "evading taxes is a sin". He called for "serious, effective and relentless" action against tax dodgers.

Among those often accused of avoidance, if not evasion, is the church itself. Its premises are exempt from property tax.

Critics have long maintained that the church takes unfair advantage of a 1982 law intended to benefit non-profit making organizations by claiming exemption for income-generating properties it owns, such as private clinics and guesthouses run by religious orders. This and other tax breaks enjoyed by the church have been the subject of an inquiry by the European commission.

The head of the Italian bishops told his fellow prelates the church did not seek "improper self-exemption".

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Published on our website on February 1, 2012