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Austrian church leaders have declared that foreign criticism of their nation - where the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) is now part of the government - shows a lack of understanding and could be highly damaging. Church leaders told ENI that efforts by foreign governments to isolate Austria could be dangerous. The leader of Austria's Lutherans said that anti-Austrian actions were making Jorg Haider, controversial head of the FPO, Austria's most famous citizen. But the church leaders welcomed a pledge of support from the Conference of European Church's (CEC), Europe's leading ecumenical organisation. "This letter of solidarity shows we can maintain normal relations with other churches and answers our request for a critical dialogue," said Roman Catholic nun Christine Gleixner, who is president of Austria's Ecumenical Council. She was commenting on a letter sent on 14 February by Keith Clements, CEC's general secretary, promising "deepest solidarity" with Austria's churches in their stand against "racism, xenophobia and anti-semitism". Gleixner said: "Although we can't speak politically [about the Freedom Party], we've expressed our position very clearly from the beginning, drawing on the biblical foundations of our Christian faith."

She said the Ecumenical Council's 14 member churches had shown "full continuity" in all public statements since the FPO's election success last October. The council planned to invite political groups to an "open dialogue programme" next month, she said. "It's important to recognise that all 14 churches are following the same line and giving the same message," added Gleixner. "At a time when the reaction of other countries is difficult to accept, we're glad the churches have given a different answer."

Austria is a member of the European Union, but other EU member nations have been highly critical of the Freedom Party's new place in the government. Israel and the United States have also registered their displeasure over developments in Austria. However, churches and related organizations, both inside Austria and abroad, have been careful not to express direct criticism of the democratically-elected government. Instead they have repeated earlier warnings of the need for openness and tolerance - one of the Freedom Party's main policies is directed against the arrival of foreigners in Austria, which has become the preferred refuge of many of those fleeing the troubled nations of Eastern Europe.

A spokesman for the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Vienna also welcomed Clements' letter, but warned that his church, which claims 70 percent of Austria's 7.8 million citizens as members, could not "influence the formation of governments".

"It's vitally important that the churches aren't cold-shouldering us, as governments are," said the spokesman, Erich Leichtenberger. "We must prevent the isolation of Austria and its people. "But we can only do this if our friends help us."

The European Union froze bilateral links with Austria after the 4 February unveiling of a coalition government bringing together the conservative Austrian People's Party (OVP) and the FPO, whose leader, Jorg Haider, is notorious for his pro-Nazi and anti-foreigner views.

The formation of the new government has prompted mass demonstrations in Austria. On Saturday, 19 February, 150 000 people gathered in central Vienna to protest against the Freedom Party. Smaller protests were also held across Europe - in Paris, Grenoble, Lyon, Strasbourg, London, Oslo, Brussels, Prague and Belgrade.

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February (Web-only) 2000, Vol. 44