Austria’s Foreign and Integration Minister Sebastian Kurz has announced a new policy that would outlaw full face veils in the country.
The minister told reporters on Tuesday that the country was implementing restrictive measures to enable migrants integrate into the country.
Observers noted that the population of women wearing the niqab veils in Austria is small, the number of women wearing them in Vienna, the country’s capital, had increased over the years.
Kurz also announced that the government will, henceforth, prevent the distribution of the Koran in public places to prevent the spread of extremist views.
The minister also announced that asylum seekers in Austria who do not want to be mistaken for refugees are advised to take part in community service and German language courses.
“That’s the only way that people can earn the respect of the majority population,” Kurz said.
Kurz warned that asylum seekers who do not participate in the said programmes will have their welfare payments reduced.