• croatiantimes.com
• romaniantimes.at
• salzburgtimes.at
• viennatimes.at
• austrianindependent.com

Today

• Vienna - VESCC English Catholic Mass
• Vienna - Unknown Underground
• Vienna - Cats
• Vienna - Andy Warhol
• Vienna - Laser Tag

© ÖVP

30. 12. 09. - 12:00

• more General News news
• RSS Feed General News

30. 12. 09. - 12:00

Styrian ÖVP leader against minarets

By William Green

Styrian People’s Party (ÖVP) leader Hermann Schützenhöfer has spoken out against building minarets in Austria.

He told ORF Styria yesterday (Tues): "It should not reach the point at which we have to take down crosses and build minarets."

But Schützenhöfer said he was against a national referendum on the issue of minarets like one recently held in Switzerland since politicians should not be pressured by the results of such votes.

Schützenhöfer also called for an end to debate about crosses in school classrooms. "At a time of debate about whether there should be minarets, I say that we need a Europe of values rather than a value-less Europe," he said.

Asked if he was trying to steal the Freedom Party’s (FPÖ) thunder on the issue of minarets in the run-up to the provincial election in autumn 2010, he replied: "I do not squint right and left."

Recent polls have shown the Styrian ÖVP have a good chance of beating the Social Democrats (SPÖ) and SPÖ Governor Franz Voves in the election and reclaiming the governorship next autumn – a development that would make Schützenhöfer the next governor.

The issue of minarets has made headlines in Austria since the Swiss referendum last month, in which 57 per cent supported banning them.

Vienna Archbishop Christoph Cardinal Schönborn publicly opposed a ban on minarets in Austria earlier this month while Vorarlberg pastors also condemned the Swiss vote in an open letter to Muslims in their communities.

Leaders of the People’s Party (ÖVP), the Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the Greens also criticised the result of the Swiss referendum.

But Austria’s two right-wing parties – the Freedom Party (FPÖ) and the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) - praised the result, calling Switzerland a "role model for other European countries".

Austrian Islamic Community (IGGiÖ) President Anas Schakfeh said he opposed special laws regulating the construction of minarets.

There are three minarets in Austria: in Vienna, Bad Vöslau in Lower Austria and Telfs, Vorarlberg. The provinces of Carinthia and Vorarlberg have passed laws which effectively ensure that no more minarets can be erected.

Austrian Times

Related articles: right-wing Austria

1. Pröll outpaces friends and foes in capability check

   » General News 2012-05-23

   Austria’s longest-serving governor has been identified as the most capable one in the opinion of citizens.

2. BZÖ ends Stronach speculations

   » General News 2012-05-18

   The Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) has finally dismissed the circulating rumours about teaming up with a billionaire businessman.

3. BZÖ farewell possible, poll shows

   » General News 2012-05-17

   The chances of the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) to avoid dropping out of parliament are waning, according to a new poll.

more related articles tagged "right-wing Austria"

Related articles: political scandals

1. Coalition accelerates anti-corruption ambitions

   » General News 2012-05-24

   The government is intensifying its attempts to pass a transparency package in parliament.

2. Army pays 2,000 staff for being idle

   » General News 2012-05-23

   The pressure on Social Democratic (SPÖ) Defence and Sport Minister Norbert Darabos is increasing as a new Audit Office (RH) examination indicates a waste of taxpayers’ money by the army.

3. Foul-mouthed MPs might face fines

   » General News 2012-05-23

   Fritz Neugebauer has started another attempt to introduce a system of fees for abusive parliament delegates (MPs).

more related articles tagged "political scandals"

Related articles: Catholic church

1. Küng tackles Schüller group

   » General News 2012-05-24

   Another top-tier representative of the Austrian Church has warned the Preachers’ Initiative from consequences.

2. Rebel priest deplores Church's 'leadership crisis'

   » General News 2012-05-22

   A Catholic preacher who established a group of "disobedient" priests reacted coolly to Viennese Archbishop Christoph Cardinal Schönborn’s warnings.

3. Schönborn warns disobedient priests

   » General News 2012-05-18

   Viennese Archbishop Christoph Cardinal Schönborn is upping the pressure on Helmut Schüller’s Preachers’ Initiative.

more related articles tagged "Catholic church"

Turks flattened by lone asylum seeker
A furious Nigerian went on the rampage at a refuge for asylum seekers in Leibnitz, attacking several people and damaging property.

Woman bites toddler
A woman who bit a two-year-old tot during a road rage row with her mother is being quizzed by police in Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

New Dany Boon comedy to be filmed in Austria
The French film star Dany Boon, one of the highest paid actors in Europe after his hit film "Welcome to the Sticks", is filming in Salzburg.

China meets Hallstatt
After a long time of speculation and anticipation the exact copy of Austrian world heritage village of Hallstatt-Dachstein in China will be unveiled, and there will be real-life Austrians present for the ceremony.

Skier in court after accident
A man from Graz is in court today accused of having inflicted negligent injury upon a five-year-old when skiing in Carinthia last year.

Two fires in Ottakring claim one life
Two fires started on Thursday evening in the Vienna district of Ottakring, one of which claimed a man’s life. Several people were evacuated as a result of the two blazes.

Cows zapped to death by lightning
Four cows were zapped to death after a lightning strike hit the barbed wire fence they were leaning on in Reith im Alpbachtal, Austria.

Wolf babies born in Schönbrunn
These cuddly Artic wolf cubs have got every right to look a bit frosty - after they emerged into the world for the first time in the middle of a 27 degree heatwave.

Cleaned Out
A Hungarian cleaning woman who stole tens of thousands of pounds worth of antique jewellery from an Austrian Countess and then sold it for "pocket money" unaware of its real value has been jailed by a court in Austria.

Great expectations for summer tourism season in Vorarlberg
The Vorarlberg tourism industry is currently riding high after a record breaking winter season, and the summer season is expected to follow that same trend.

Jobs in Austria