Death threats made to Education Minister over school prayer ban

Greece’s Education Minister Kostas Gavroglu on Wednesday claimed he has been targeted with death threats concerning the abolition of morning schools prayers.

In one email, the Minister said an individual threatened to organise an attack against him if he abolishes morning prayer and the singing of the national anthem in schools.

This follows a government committee’s proposal last year for the abolition of student marches on national holidays and compulsory prayers at the beginning of the school day, provoking the anger of the Church of Greece.

Other proposals include the removal of religious studies from the list of compulsory subjects on the senior high school syllabus, which would thereafter only feature English and Greek language and literature.