Carinthia (Austria) bans mosque, minaret construction

Carinthia’s provincial government recently passed a law effectively banning the construction of mosques or minarets. The controversial legislation, passed with the votes of the Conservative People’s party and the right-wing Alliance for Austria’s Future was a sign against the “advancement of Islam,” Provincial Governor Joerg Haider was quoted as saying. 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. More...