A ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding the placing of Christian crosses in Italian schools is in conflict with Europe’s cultural heritage and its Christian history, according to a declaration published by the Slovak Parliament on December 10, the TASR newswire reported.
Parliament also stated that the placing of religious symbols in schools and public institutions is in line with the historical traditions of Slovakia. “Respecting this tradition cannot be perceived as a restriction on the freedom of religion,” reads the declaration, according to which the placing of religious symbols falls under the authority of individual EU countries.
ECHR in its recent decision said that the placing of crosses in Italian schools violates the rights of parents to bring up their children in harmony with their own convictions.
“Freedom of religion is anchored in the Agreement on Human Rights and Freedoms from 1950,” stated the MPs who submitted the declaration, as quoted by the TASR. They added that the Agreement never aimed to push religion out of public life and therefore the ECHR's decision doesn't observe the contents of the Agreement in an appropriate manner. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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