La Repubblica 14.6.10
El País reveals the outline of the new standards: establish the "religious neutrality" of the institutions
Spain, ready the law on religion "Nothing crucifixes and Catholic state funeral" of Homer
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The new draft in Parliament after the summer. Still being discussed in the article that regulates the use of headscarves
Via the crucifix from the classroom, public hospitals, corporate offices, ministries, and the pastor away from a state funeral that will no longer be Rite Catholic. The draft new law on "religious freedom" in Spain - already announced by Prime Minister Zapatero two years ago - and yesterday it is ready was revealed by El Pais. Rather than "secular" State, in the draft, it expresses "the neutrality of the public authorities in the face of any other religion and belief, avoiding any confusion between civil and religious activity."
About the state funeral, El País offers the example of those that took place in 2004 for the victims of the terrorist attacks of 11 March and points out that the Catholic church were among the dead even though there were many Muslims. Under the new law the State can arrange funerals only civil, not religious symbols. While on the crucifix that clarifies the law will not be made (such as no other religious symbol) in public places, except those with a particular historical, artistic or cultural. An exception, however the private centers, even if they are largely financed with public money, such as schools or hospitals.
The new law consists of a total of 37 articles and aims to make all equal before the state religion in the country: in Spain there are more than a majority of Catholics, 1.4 million Muslims, one million 600 thousands of Protestants and Orthodox Christians together in smaller communities of Jews, Mormons, Buddhists and Jehovah's Witnesses. Thanks to the agreements signed with the English State in 1979, the Catholic Church can still enjoy certain privileges, such as being the only denomination to which taxpayers may allocate 0.7% of taxes.
There is, for now, only a blank space in the new law and about the Islamic veil. The government committee that prepared the draft has not yet decided - El País writes - "if you will govern whether or not an individual brought under religious symbols in public space," as those are precisely the veil in school or in a hospital. Sources close to the Zapatero government admit that the Commission on this debate continues even though the English Justice Minister, Francisco Caamaño, has spoken clearly in favor of legislation. "We need to clarify - he said - such as religious symbols of personal identity can be brought by a citizen in a public space. In these cases, the law must be clear and should apply common sense and tolerance. " The law now in force for Spain, which dates from 1980, it is unclear whether wearing the veil or not be allowed in public spaces. The debate in Parliament the new law will only start after the summer.
