Three major religious denominations have come together in opposition to the Government's proposal for religion classes, putting forth their own vision of how it should be achieved in a news conference on February 6 2008, Dnevnik daily reported.

The Education Ministry wants religion classes to focus on the history, origin and ideas of the major world's religions, but representatives of the Orthodox and Catholic churches, as well the office of the Chief Mufti, demanded instead that students study religious doctrine.

Religion classes should be held twice weekly, with students given the option to select between Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Islam or other religions. Students that do not want to study religion, would then study ethics, the clerics told reporters.

Additionally, religion class teachers should be either theology graduates or regular teachers taught a special course on theology. Similar systems are used in 20 other European countries, and only five countries teach the history of religions, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church claims.

Religious authorities have criticised the ministry's plan, with Lovech metropolitan bishop Gavrail arguing that it was trying to plant an idea that it was impossible to believe in only one faith, Dnevnik daily said.

Education Minister Daniel Vulchev has defended the plan, saying that the secular nature of the education system should not be undermined. He also added a subtle warning to the religious institutions, who are pushing for religion classes in Bulgarian schools, that the subject would not be put on the school curriculum unless there is complete agreement on the teaching approach between the ministry and the churches.