The European Court of Human Rights decision banning crucifixes in Italian classroom was deplorable, Nationalist MEP David Casa said.

"It is deplorable for a country to be denied exhibiting a symbol of its culture and heritage," Mr Casa said.

The court, Mr Casa said, should not have interfered in this particular case.

The crucifix symbolised the importance of Christian values which played a fundamental role in the shaping of Europe and continued to reflect the way Europeans conducted their everyday lives, he said.

"The crucifix should be seen as a sign of harmony, unity and hospitality for all humanity, even for those with different beliefs, but it is also a fundamental part of our history and culture," he insisted.

Meanwhile, the European Commission representation and the European Parliament office in Malta said that the judgement did not come from the European Union or any of its institutions.

The court which gave this ruling was not the court of the European Union but of the Council of Europe, they said.

The Council of Europe, of which Malta has been a member since independence, brings together 47 nations a good number of which are not EU member states.

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