Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi claims Italy is not bound by last week's European Court of Human Rights (EHCR) ruling that displaying crucifixes in a public school classroom violates the European Convention on Human Rights, notes a Jurist report.

Berlusconi's remarks were made on the same day that the Council of Ministers gave its approval to appeal the decision. Berlusconi went so far as to say that even if Italy loses its appeal in Lautsi v Italy, he considers it to be disrespectful and Italy would not be coerced into upholding it. The actual decision recognises a violation of Article 2 of Protocol I and Article 9 of the rights convention and mandates that Italy must pay EUR5 000 to the complainant Lautsi for moral damages. The report notes that the decision is not explicit about any measure Italy must take in regards to crucifixes in public places.
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