Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Tuesday introduced to parliament a draft bill with an amendment on Sharia law relating to family law cases in the Muslim minority in northern Greece.
"The government is taking a historic step today, bringing to Parliament the bill on Sharia law that expands the equality and equity enjoyed by all Greeks without exception," Tsipras said.
The new bill gives precedence to a Greek court of law if there is no agreement among parties to go to a local Islamic law official as dictated in sharia law.
“As a member of the European Union, our country is voluntarily committed to specific treaties, such as the European Convention on Human Rights," Tsipras noted.
"With this regulation, the government corrects injustices made in the past at the expense of members of the Muslim community of Thrace (such as) exempting them from the state of legal guarantees and civil liberties enjoyed by all Greek citizens; it respects however the unique features of the minority," the Prime Minister said.
"We ought to proceed with steady steps towards the reforms that will upgrade the rights and quality of life of the Muslim minority of Thrace, by persisting in dialogue and facing issues with cool-headedness and awareness of their seriousness." Added the Greek PM.
