Alessandro Zan against the Church: “Italy is a sovereign country. The Vatican was a foreign state, no interference ”. The Vatican does not want to talk about homophobia in its schools. To do so, he challenges the Zan Bill saying that it violates the Concordat: the first to react to what the Vatican has declared is Alessandro Zan himself who, signing the Vatican, speaks of interference by a foreign state.
Update of 10.02
The deputy of the Democratic Party explains in an interview with Corriere della Sera that his first reaction was “of disbelief. Why it is the first time that the Vatican has raised the question of the Concordat and it does so on a law, not yet in force, approved only in the Chamber by a large majority ”.
Zan: “The Italian Parliament is sovereign and cannot be interfered with by a foreign state”
Parliament is sovereign, it must be free to discuss, it cannot suffer any interference from a foreign state ”says the deputy Pd. Zan rejects the Holy See’s objection that the bill it would limit the freedom guaranteed to the Church and to Catholic associations: “Absolutely not. The freedom of expression of thought, for individuals and associations, is not in question ”.
“This is clear from the application of the Mancino law in the last 30 years and is further confirmed by article 4 of the bill that bears my name. That rule makes it clear that all legitimate opinions and conduct remain unaffected which do not determine the concrete danger of the carrying out of discriminatory and violent acts “.
It is “a rule that we have not invented, but is based on the jurisprudence of the Court of Cassation relating to discrimination incitement offenses and violence already provided for by the Mancino law, which the bill also extends to conduct motivated by sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability “. “The freedom of thought of any person, much less Catholics” is not at risk.
“Freedom of thought is not at risk”
Zan also rejects the concerns of the Church in art. 7 of the bill, which it would not exempt private schools from organizing activities for the national day against homophobia: “In the Chamber in the Chamber, precisely to meet the concerns of part of the Catholic world, it was specified that the initiatives must be consistent with the three-year plan of the training offer and with the educational co-responsibility pact between schools and families. This is to reiterate beyond any reasonable doubt that everything can – should not – take place in respect of school autonomy “.
Draghi summons the majority parties to seek mediation
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mario Draghi has summoned the majority parties asking them to find a compromise. The premier, on the occasion of the communications to the Chambers in view of the European Council, will say that “the aspects reported by a State with which we have diplomatic relations must be evaluated”. One way to respond to the Vatican requests awaiting find a solution which, however, does not seem to be easy. Also because the Zan bill was approved by the House and is now being examined by the Senate.
According to Il Corriere della Sera, the communication from the Secretary of State of the Holy See that arrived via diplomatic channels had already been delivered to the premier.