Austria on Friday decided to cease seven mosques in the country over allegedly running via “foreign funding”, while it also said the concerned clerics would be deported.
Chancellor of Austria Sebastian Kurz said that the step has been taken in a bid to “counter political Islam” in Austria. Officials also claim that few mosques have established close ties with Turkish nationalists.
The interior minister of Austria, Herbert Kickl said that residence permits of 40 imams of the mosques in Austria are under scrutiny. He further added that five imams have already been denied residence permits.
On the other hand, Turkey has criticised the move saying that Austria’s decision to shut down mosques and desport imams is a “racist” move.
Spokesperson of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan tweeted: “Austria’s decision to shut down numerous mosques and deport imams with a lame excuse is reflection of the anti-Islam, racist and discriminatory populist wave in the country.”
The diplomatic relations between Austria and Turkey have been strained ever since Austria’s new chancellor Kurz held the office last year.
