Dialogue is our common path

The National Council of the Religious Communities NCRCB at the invitation of the Chairman of the Committee on Religious Denominations and Human Rights Mr. Krasimir Velchev held a meeting in the Parliament.

An occasion of the meeting was the submitted to the plenary Bill on wearing clothing covering or hiding the face.

The Muslim Denomination presented its statement to Mrs. Tsetska Tsacheva – Chairwoman of the 43^th National Assembly. The Committee on Religious Denominations and Human Rights was also informed about the opinion of MD.

The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Committee Mr. Velchev and the Deputy Chairman Mr. Antonov. NCRCB was represented by its Chairman Prof. Dr. Rupen Krikorian, the Deputy Grand Mufti Birali BIrali, Father Petko Valov and Pastor Evgeni Naydenov.

The members of the National Council expressed their support of the Muslim Denomination and shared the concerns related to Art.2, para.2 of the abovementioned Bill. This article treats the partial covering of the face, including ears and hear which can seriously affect all women who wear headscarf from the Muslim religion and other representatives of our traditional religious denominations.

In its statement the MD proposed to the Members of the Parliament in the abovementioned article to be done relevant amendments where the partial covering of the face not to include ears and hair. The Deputy Grand Mufti Biarli Birali drew attention also to a second point included in the final provisions and namely the incrimination of the acts of compulsion and forcibly covering of woman. It is necessary to make more precise the text in order to prevent interpretations which violate the right of religion on every person on one hand and the right of free choice of religious identity.

Mr. Velchev expressed his readiness for a dialogue and to present the commented points leading to a consensus which ensures the national security in one hand and on the other hand the freedom of religious denomination. Dr. Krikorian indicated his satisfaction with the appeared dialogue between the legislative institutions and NCRCB which best represents the positions of the main religious denominations in the country.