Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Greece Appoints Chaplains To Teach Qur'an In Greek In Thracian Schools and Mosques
OnIslam reports today that in Greece the government-- in a controversial move-- has appointed 90 chaplains to teach the Qur’an in Greek to minority children at mosques and state schools in Western Thrace. About one-third of Western Thrace's population is Muslim. Most are of Turkish origin. Others are Pomaks and Romas. The chaplains appointed must be Greek citizens and members of the minority group they are teaching. This follows passage last January of the so-called "240 Imams Law" which provides officials serving in Western Thracian mosques will be appointed by a board of 5 persons including Christian Greek citizens. The law was strongly opposed by the Turkish minority, who were not consulted in its drafting.