Turkey criticises Austria over decision of closing down mosques
Ankara, June 9 (IBNS): Turkey has criticised Austria over its decision of shutting down seven mosques and even expelling imams who they consider as being funded by foreign countries.
Turkey called Austria's move was a reflection of 'consequence of the Islamophobic, racist and discriminatory populist wave' in the country.
"We regret the statement made by the Chancellor of Austria Mr. Sebastian Kurz, at the press conference held together with Vice Chancellor, Federal Minister of Interior, and the Federal Minister for the EU which coordinates Office of Religious Affairs, which announced that our religious officials who are sent by our country to serve under the Turkish Islamic Union in Austria (ATIB) will not be granted residence permits and that seven mosques, including one that belongs to the Turkish community, will be closed," read a statement issued by the Turkish government.
It said: "We condemn that Austrian politicians, Chancellor Kurz in particular, are trying to take political advantage of these alarming developments, instead of fighting Islamophobia, xenophobia and the rise of the extremist right."
The Austrian government on Friday confirmed that it is shutting down seven mosques and even expel imams who they consider as being funded by foreign countries.
Country's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has said that the move was being taken as crackdown on political Islam.
"Due to violations of the # Islam Act , we are now disassembling the Mosque of the Gray Wolves, as well as the Arab Religious Community, and expose [real expel] up to 40 # imams of ATIB for violating the ban on # foreign funding," Kurz tweeted.
"We are acting decisively and actively against undesirable developments and the formation of #parallel societies - and will continue to do so if there are violations of the # Islam Law," he said on the Twitter handle.
"Since 2015 there is the # Islam Act , which provides the Office of the Constitution in the Chancellery comprehensive opportunities to act on suspicion of violation of the law itself and turn on BMI. That did not happen among my predecessors for 3 years. Now that changes," he tweeted.
"Some mosques are suspected of having links to Turkish nationalists. In April images emerged showing children in Turkish army uniforms re-enacting World War One's Battle of Gallipoli," he was quoted saying by the BBC.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said political Islam and radicalisation tendencies have no space in his nation.
"Parallel societies, political Islam and radicalisation tendencies have no place in our country," Chancellor Kurz was quoted as saying by BBC.
Full statement issued by Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is given below:
"We regret the statement made by the Chancellor of Austria Mr. Sebastian Kurz, at the press conference held together with Vice Chancellor, Federal Minister of Interior, and the Federal Minister for the EU which coordinates Office of Religious Affairs, which announced that our religious officials who are sent by our country to serve under the Turkish Islamic Union in Austria (ATIB) will not be granted residence permits and that seven mosques, including one that belongs to the Turkish community, will be closed. The closure of seven mosques and deporting of religious officials due to trivial excuses is a consequence of the Islamophobic, racist and discriminatory populist wave in Austria.
We condemn that Austrian politicians, Chancellor Kurz in particular, are trying to take political advantage of these alarming developments, instead of fighting Islamophobia, xenophobia and the rise of the extremist right.
The ideological attitude of the Austrian government is incompatible with universal legal principles, integration policies, minority rights and the ethics of peaceful coexistence. Normalization of Islamophobia and racism in this manner must absolutely be rejected.
On the other hand, embracing of such a discriminatory and populist approach under the direction of politicians devoid of experience and common sense is an alarming development that heralds a negative trend concerning the rise of Islamophobia and racism in Europe.
It is also unfortunate for the EU that an Austria that possesses such a mindset will assume the Presidency of the Council of the EU. This decision is in contradiction with the efforts, in particular by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Turkey and Austria, to normalize the relations between our countries. It will also undoubtedly not contribute to the integration efforts of the Turkish community in Austria."
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