New Islam Law Will Not Sever the Connection Between Bosniaks in Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Islam law adopted yesterday in Austria has sparked a series of debates among Muslims in this country, as the new law effectively erects a wall between Islamic communities in Austria and their home countries, such as Turkey or others, writes the Bosnian news agency Patria.

The Islam law, which the Austrian Parliament adopted on Wednesday, prohibits other countries from financing Islamic communities registered in Austria, or from having Islamic religious officials working in Austria appointed by Islamic communities from other countries.

The law has drawn a number of criticisms from Muslims, but there are also those who say that the law ultimately provides Muslims with some benefits they did not have before.

The law thus provides for the opening of six positions for teaching staff at the new Islamic theological studies at the University of Vienna starting next year. The law also regulates for the first time pastoral care for Muslims in the army, prisons, hospitals, and nursing homes.

Muslims in Austria are allowed "the production of meat products and other foodstuffs in accordance with their religious regulations," which legally regulates ritual slaughter, a stumbling block in many European countries.

In addition, the law regulates "appropriate" religious upbringing of children, as well as rituals such as male circumcision.

A member of the Islamic community of Bosniaks in Austria told the Bosnian news agency Patria that the new law will most disrupt the current work of the Turkish Islamic community, because Turkey directly financed and sent religious officials to Austria, while the law will not significantly affect the work of the Islamic community of Bosniaks in Austria.

- Our imams were not financed from Bosnia and Herzegovina even earlier. Also, we paid taxes in Austria, which is also stipulated by the new law – confirmed this member.

More than 100,000 Bosniaks live in Austria, gathered in more than 40 congregations.

Austria adopted the new Islam law under the pretext of wanting to prevent the recruitment of terrorists in this country, and it will achieve this primarily by cutting off the financing of Muslims in Austria from other countries, i.e., limiting financing only to believers living in Austria, writes Patria.