THE “CRUCIFIX trial” in the European Court of Human Rights has given rise to an unprecedented intervention of 10 member states as third parties.
The European Centre for Law and Justice, which was also authorised to become a third party in the court hearing regarding the legitimacy of displaying crucifixes in Italian schools, reported that 10 states will have this amicus curiae status in the “Lautsi versus Italy” case.
The case was referred to the Grand Chamber when the Italian government appealed against a decision issued by the Second Section of the court last November, which spoke against the presence of the crucifix in classrooms.
These states, all of which are supporting Italy in the desire to overturn last November’s decision, include Armenia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Lithuania, Malta, Monaco, San-Marino, Romania and the Russian Federation.