Lawmakers in Bulgaria banned full face veils in most public places on Friday, joining France, Belgium and the Netherlands in introducing legislation outlawing the coverings.
People who disobey the ban, which will be enforced in schools, public buildings and many other public spaces, will face fines of up to $860. Exceptions for health or professional reasons will be permitted, Reuters reported.
Muslims make up about 12% of the 7.2 million people in Bulgaria, according to Reuters. Most are ethnic Turks.
The ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms party refused to take part in the vote, saying the ban would incite ethic and religious intolerance, Reuters reported.
Al Jazeera said that hostility toward Muslims has grown in Bulgaria, a major transit point for migrants heading to northern Europe from Turkey.
“The law is not directed against religious communities and is not repressive. We made a very good law for the safety of our children,” said Krasimir Velchev, a member of Parliament from the ruling center-right Patriotic Front coalition, according to Reuters.
The ban comes amid ongoing tensions over an influx of migrants to Europe, and after a number of seaside towns in France banned burkinis — full body swimsuits favored by some Muslim women — during the summer. A top French court overturned the controversial ban last month.
German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Friday that 890,000 asylum seekers entered that country last year, down from the 1.1 million that were originally registered.
He said the higher figure was due to asylum seekers registering in multiple locations, and some heading to other European nations or returning to their home countries.
“The enormous, unique effort of those responsible in administration and politics, and especially the generous support of volunteers, has allowed us to managed these challenges well overall,” de Maiziere said, according to the German news agency DPA.
“But we are also in agreement that the situation we had last autumn must not be allowed to repeat itself,” he added.
He said Germany counted 210,000 new arrivals this year, “which shows the different measures are working,” the Associated Press reported. Measures introduced by the European Union to stem the influx of migrants include returning people who arrive in Greece by boat to Turkey.
Source: News Agencies
