Alfano responds to 'secular' Xmas row

(ANSA) - Venice, November 30 - Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said Monday he would have traditional nativity crib scenes set up in prefectures across Italy this Christmas amid ongoing furore over last week's decision by a principal at a comprehensive school near Milan to reportedly scrap its planned Christmas concert in favour of a more 'secular' event.
    The principal, Marco Parma, handed in his resignation on Saturday over the controversy, but only with respect to the school's primary section. "To those who believe dialogue is assisted by cancelling our identity today we reply by having the new police headquarters in Jesolo blessed by the Patriarch of Venice," Alfano added. "Our position is very clear," the minister continued.
    "Meeting and dialogue work better and are more authentic if there is a strong identity. If identity is cancelled there is no dialogue, no meeting, only confusion," said Alfano, adding that a nativity scene would also be installed at the interior ministry this year. Meanwhile Lombardy regional councillor for education Valentina Aprea affirmed her commitment to "returning nativity scenes and religious songs to schools".
    The authorities "will check where this is not happening, even in the absence of direct competence in the matter", the representative of ex premier Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI) party added. Arena also reaffirmed her availability to sing a popular Christmas carol at the school in Rozzano at the centre of the 'secular' Christmas controversy. Also on Monday, a small crowd of Rozzano residents gathered outside Garofani school to debate the controversy, watched over by police agents. Regional FI coordinator and former education minister Maria Stella Gelmini and leader of the extremist, anti-Europe and anti-immigrant Lega Nord, Matteo Salvini, were expected to arrive at the school later in the day.