Moscow, August 04: Italian lawmakers suggest that a criminal responsibility should be introduced for wearing the Islamic headscarf (hijab) in public places. The relevant bill has already been prepared and submitted to Parliament. Should it be approved, the Muslim women living in Italy will lose their right to wear the Islamic headscarf. Besides, any man forcing a Muslim woman to wear the Islamic veil will be fined 30,000 euros or will be imprisoned for one year.
As a counterbalance to the loud anger of the Muslims believing that such laws infringe on their rights and religious views, Italian lawmakers say that they only want to help foreigners integrate into the European society as soon as possible. The lawmakers are sure that foreigners should not only observe the legal requirements but also be in harmony with the local lifestyle. Otherwise, the division on national and religious grounds will be strengthened. It cuts both ways though, an expert with the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Leontii Byzov, says.
“Measures, taken by the Italian government, will only cause an outbreak of irritation and possibly, violence on the part of ethnic groups these measures are applicable to. Ethnic communities have been hating one another for a long time now instead of showing respect for their differences for the sake of peace and a joint effort aimed at building a new European society, which should take the previously mentioned ethnic factors into account. What links such ethnic communities is an economic necessity. The point is that Europe can’t do without foreign workers – meaning mainly those who arrive in Europe from the Muslim countries. On the other hand, the Muslims themselves go to European countries to earn a living there. However, as the practice shows, economic problems alone are insufficient for creating a modern society, which should be governed by the poly-ethnic world laws.”
On the other hand, the Arab states demand that the citizens of Western countries observe the Eastern standards with regards to clothes and behaviour. The Europeans also want the aliens to show the same respect for their traditions. The more so as the threat of terrorism has been growing by geometric progression in recent times. That is why the Europeans have started paying too much attention to the Muslim clothes. Bills similar to the Italian one were signed into law in Belgium and France. And of course, they triggered a wave of protests in the Muslim world.
The Italian Senate has already approved the lawmakers’ proposal. The lower house of Parliament will consider the document after the summer vacations this autumn. Experts have no doubts that this bill will be adopted, since in Italy this problem is aggravated by a mass inflow of illegal migrants from war-torn Libya and the neighbouring countries.
Judging by the facts, Europe is facing another problem today, which is the result of multiculturalism. And it may be that many years will pass before a solution is found.
–Agencies