A southern Austrian regional parliament gave its go-ahead Tuesday to a change in the law that would effectively ban building mosques and possibly other non-Christian establishments in the region.
While no mention was actually made of mosques or minarets in the bill approved by lawmakers in the province of Carinthia, the change to the so-called "Ortsbildpflegegesetz" – or law on the upkeep of towns’ appearances – meant that special dispensations would now be required for the construction of "buildings of unusual dimensions."
The changes were condemned by the opposition Green and Social Democrat parties, as well as the Austrian Muslim community that said the changes constituted an infringement of religious freedom.