(Brussels) Last night when in Strasbourg the European Parliament finally appointed Antonio Tajani as president, the Commission of the EU Bishops Conferences (Comece) immediately issued a release in response to the election. “In his role as the first deputy president of the European Parliament in charge of dialogue with religions”, the release states, “Antonio Tajani proved to be extremely sensitive and open to the concerns of the Churches, and he multiplied the chances of contact between the religious communities and the European institutions”. This is the assumption with which “Comece hopes such dialogue may continue”, as also laid down by the Lisbon Treaty, “to enable our Churches to concur in the building of Europe”. The Bishops call the new president to take up the challenges set out by his predecessor, Martin Schulz: “Adapting Europe to globalisation, strengthening the primacy of human rights, and finding a better balance between freedom and security”, issues that “Comece is extremely sensitive to”.