Germany to ban burqa in certain areas

German officials on Friday decided to ban the full-face veil in certain areas.

After joint consultations in Berlin, the interior ministers of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative CDU/CSU union reached this agreement, Xinhua news agency reported.

It refers to, for example, the whole public sector, in road traffic or at demonstrations, Lorenz Caffier, interior minister of state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, said.

According to "Berlin Declaration", violations against this limited burqa ban will be punished as an administrative offence, said Caffier.

The "Berlin Declaration" is a list of demands for more security in Germany that is now adopted by the interior ministers from the federal government and states after the two-day meeting.

The rejection of the burqa has nothing to do with security, but with social cohesion, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said.

The minister said the meeting rejected the full-face veil, but considered a general ban as hardly legally enforceable.

"We reject unanimously the burqa. Showing face is constitutive for our society. That is why we urge all to show their faces," said de Maiziere.

Meanwhile, de Maiziere announced creation of 15,000 police jobs in the coming years, adding that this number should be further increased.

The loss of the German citizenship for a national if he has dual citizenship when he fights for a foreign terrorist militia was a matter of principle, said the minister.

It is also very important to use intelligent technology, such as "more video surveillance and more intelligent use of video surveillance", in the fight against criminals, he said.

De Maiziere had already presented his own plans for a security package in the past week, in response to the recent attacks in Bavaria.

He wants to increase the staff with security authorities and upgrade them technically, but also penetrate a tightening of security laws and new hardships for certain foreigners and refugees.

--IANS

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