Mosque-building stopped

Vienna - The provincial government of Carinthia, a southern Austrian province, passed a law on Tuesday effectively banning the construction of mosques or minarets.

Provincial governor Joerg Haider said the controversial legislation, passed with the votes of the Conservative People's Party and the rightwing Alliance for Austria's Future was a sign against the "advancement of Islam".

The legislation links the construction of mosques with rules concerning the overall look and harmony of towns and villages, thereby aiming at preventing their construction.

Haider, a former leader of the rightwing Freedom Party that in its heyday enjoyed the support of up to 27% of Austria's voters with its anti-immigration rhetoric, praised the new rules as a "guidepost" for Europe.

However, the province's Social Democrats slammed the measure as a populist farce.

"We have a law for something that does not exist," said party leader Gaby Schaunig, pointing out that there had been no application for the construction of a mosque in the province to date.

Omar Al-Rawi, a spokesperson of Austria's Muslim community, said the law violated the freedom of religion and principles of equality. -

news24.com