Austrian authorities revoked their decision to grant citizenship to a Ukrainian who refused to sing the national anthem at the ceremony where citizenship documents were handed out.
The incident occurred in mid-October in the town of Baden, Lower Austria. However, the final decision was made this week: on Tuesday, the local government decided to strip the man of his citizenship.
The man had informed authorities in advance of his refusal to sing the anthem but still attended the ceremony. Government representative Udo Landbauer described the Ukrainian’s behavior as a “provocation,” stating that those who are not willing to identify with Austria cannot accept the country’s core principles.
Under Austrian law, citizens are required to sing the anthem at official events or sports competitions, especially when national flags are present.
