Greece May Drop Religious Oath Requirements

Under pressure from the European Union, Greece's Justice Ministry is drafting a new law that will do away with required religious oaths for members of Parliament, witnesses at trials, soldiers and various public officials. Kathimerini reported yesterday that the Church of Greece has dropped its opposition to the change. The EU says that requiring the oath infringes individual rights, and that even the option to abstain, or instead take a political oath, that exists in some situations in Greece still infringes privacy rights by forcing individuals to identify as non-believers.