Viennese Blood: Freedom Party: Heinz-Christian Strache on Preventing Islamization of Europe & a People's Right to Secession & a Motherland
Russia Today | 23 November 2011
As the far-right Freedom Party takes the lead in Austria’s general election, its leader, Heinz-Christian Strache, has told RT what he thinks of EU immigration policy and expansion plans, and explained why he wants a national debate on Islamization.
RT: Why are Austrians so concerned about Islam?
Heinz-Christian Strache: This is an area where there are too many thorny issues. The European crisis is our main problem now. We also face problems in our immigration policy. This largely concerns migration from non-European countries such as Turkey. More than 50% of Turkish immigrants don’t want to integrate into Austrian society. They don’t want to learn the language and organize parallel and opposing structures. The activities of radical Islamists have become visible in our society. They hinder its peaceful and democratic development. In this sense, we are certainly a political force that comes out against any such radicalization.
RT:EU states refused to work with your party when it was in power five years ago. What will be different this time?
H-CS: I think that Europe is living through a turning point in its development, just as the whole world is getting through a turning point and a period of democratization. I assume that the forthcoming elections in Europe, not only in Austria but also in France, Belgium, Italy and Germany, will cause a wave of wrath and pressure. People are going to give vent to their rage on long-standing parties at the polling stations. That will lead to political changes. Since we are well prepared from this side too, European governments will take these elections seriously and will respect their results, unlike in the Middle East, where the authorities tried to deter democratic transformation by imposing restrictions and with the help of other means which are out of line with the principles of democracy.
