French President Emmanuel Macron has opened the door to experimenting with uniforms in some public schools, amid controversy in France about banning the wearing of the abaya in schools due to its Islamic religious character.
In a live interview on the Hugo Decrypt channel, Macron said that he prefers to “try out uniforms in order to enrich public debate,” noting that “there is another experimental option that could be for children to wear similar clothes, such as jeans, a shirt, and a jacket . ” .
He added: "We could definitely have things that are more acceptable to teenagers. A similar uniform, but not a uniform, might seem, in my view, more acceptable and a little less strict from a disciplinary standpoint."
Macron reiterated that the authorities will be "fierce" in enforcing the new rule on long robes in public schools, which is seen as a challenge to secular values in France.
" The school is secular , which means there is no room for religious symbols. We must talk, we must explain (the procedure). But I think this is very important because the school must remain a neutral place," he said.
The new rule has drawn criticism across the country, with some arguing that loose, body-covering clothing does not constitute an ostentatious display of religion and should not be banned in classrooms.
Azerbaijan demands that Armenia withdraw its forces from Karabakh and stop provocations
Azerbaijan called on Armenia to withdraw its forces from Karabakh and dissolve its military and administrative entity there, and to stop provoking it, calling on the diplomatic representations in Baku to force Yerevan to move away from the dangerous path.
On Monday, Azerbaijan demanded that Armenia immediately withdraw its armed forces from Azerbaijani territory and dissolve the military and administrative entity of the so-called Armenian regime in those regions.
A briefing on this matter was presented to the diplomatic representations in Azerbaijan at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital, Baku, with the participation of the Advisor to the Azerbaijani President, Hikmat Hajiyev, the President’s Representative for Special Duties, Alchin Amirbayev, and Deputy Foreign Minister, Feriz Rizayev.
During the briefing, it was emphasized that Armenia and the so-called regime it established on the territories under Azerbaijan’s sovereignty continue to harm the normalization process and reject all proposals aimed at easing tension, despite all the efforts made by Azerbaijan through international partners.
The briefing confirmed that Azerbaijan is facing provocative steps from the Armenian side, and that the so-called “presidential elections” in the Karabakh region are one of those provocative steps.
It revealed the presence of Armenian armed forces numbering more than 10,000 people affiliated with the so-called regime in Karabakh, indicating that these forces possess more than a hundred tanks and other armored vehicles, more than two hundred heavy artillery, including missile systems, and more than two hundred mortar systems.
She explained that Armenia provided technical, military, logistical and financial support to those forces, contrary to its obligations.
The briefing stressed that it has become more important and necessary than ever to force Armenia to move away from the dangerous path.
It confirmed that Baku asked Yerevan to immediately withdraw its armed forces from Azerbaijani territory, dissolve the military and administrative entity of the so-called Armenian regime, and disarm those armed forces.
On September 27, 2020, the Azerbaijani army launched an operation to liberate its occupied territories in Karabakh, and after fierce battles that lasted 44 days, Azerbaijan and Armenia reached a Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement, stipulating that Baku would regain control over its occupied territories.