Poland 'worried' by Court school crucifix ban

Polish legislators also called on other European parliaments to "reflect upon ways protect freedom of belief."

Polish legislators on Thursday said they were "worried" by a European Court of Human Rights ban on crucifixes in Italian schools, a move which could have repercussions here.

A resolution passed Thursday by Poland's lower house of parliament "expressed worry over decisions which infringe upon freedom of religion, disregard laws and the feelings of believers and upset social calm."

Parliament also said it was - critical of the verdict of the European Court of Human Rights questioning the legal right to have crucifixes in school classrooms in Italy. -

The motion, which is not legally binding, was passed by a majority of 357 deputies against 40 opposed and five abstentions in Poland's 460-seat lower house.

Polish legislators also called on other European parliaments to "reflect upon ways protect freedom of belief."

Last week Roman Catholic bishops in Poland slammed the ECHR crucifix ban in Italian schools.

Last month, the ECHR ruled the presence of a crucifix in a school violated the principle of freedom of religion and the right of parents to educate their children.

Opinion polls showed that a majority of Italians disagreed with the ban.

It was also criticised in Poland where some 90 percent of the country's 38 million citizens declare themselves Roman Catholic, although the country's post-communist left welcomed it.