Council "to defend IZ against ministry, state"

Sandzak-based Islamic Community (IZ) in Serbia Chief Mufti Muamer Zukorlic addressed the organization's decision to form a political council. This, the leader of one of two rival Islamic organizations in the country said, does not mean that a new political party is being established. Council "to defend IZ against ministry, state" "I do not plan to form a political party. The council will have an advisory role. It is the result of an aggression against the Meshihat [IZ council], which has become a political victim. We cannot have quality defense against those attacks unless we have political councils," Zukorlic told Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti on Thursday. He specified that the Meshihat will, through the political council, "defend itself from the state and the Ministry of Religion". Zukorlic also commented on claims that the council was formed "out of fear, after SDP and SDA leaders Rasim Ljajic and Sulejman Ugljanin reconciled". "I am suspicious about that reconciliation. I don't believe in the sincerity of the government in Serbia which has forced them to reconcile. If that is a precondition for investments for Sandzak, then I will bless that and be thankful. But, I'm not sure it will come to pass." Asked whether another reconciliation – that of his organization and the Islamic Community of Serbia, led by Adem Zilkic – were possible, Zukorlic reacted by saying that the community was "Ugljanin's parallel religious organization". "I don't know who Zilkic is," the mufti said of his rival. Zukorlic, who recently visited Kosovo along with Bosnian Grand Mufti Mustafa Ceric, said that Sandzak "will not follow in the footsteps" of Kosovo – whose ethnic Albanians unilaterally declared secession last year – but that Serbia's current authorities "are treating Sandzak like Slobodan Milosevic treated Kosovo". "There's fewer batons and beatings, but the rights of Bosniaks [Muslims] are as threatened as the rights of Albanians [in Kosovo] were," concluded Zukorlic, speaking about the southwestern region of Serbia which is home to a large Bosniak minority.

Council "to defend IZ against ministry, state"

"I do not plan to form a political party. The council will have an advisory role. It is the result of an aggression against the Meshihat [IZ council], which has become a political victim. We cannot have quality defense against those attacks unless we have political councils," Zukorlić told Belgrade daily Večernje Novosti on Thursday.

He specified that the Meshihat will, through the political council, "defend itself from the state and the Ministry of Religion".

Zukorlić also commented on claims that the council was formed "out of fear, after SDP and SDA leaders Rasim Ljajić and Sulejman Ugljanin reconciled".

"I am suspicious about that reconciliation. I don't believe in the sincerity of the government in Serbia which has forced them to reconcile. If that is a precondition for investments for Sandžak, then I will bless that and be thankful. But, I'm not sure it will come to pass."

Asked whether another reconciliation – that of his organization and the Islamic Community of Serbia, led by Adem Zilkić – were possible, Zukorlić reacted by saying that the community was "Ugljanin's parallel religious organization".

"I don't know who Zilkić is," the mufti said of his rival.

Zukorlić, who recently visited Kosovo along with Bosnian Grand Mufti Mustafa Cerić, said that Sandžak "will not follow in the footsteps" of Kosovo – whose ethnic Albanians unilaterally declared secession last year – but that Serbia's current authorities "are treating Sandžak like Slobodan Milošević treated Kosovo".

"There's fewer batons and beatings, but the rights of Bosniaks [Muslims] are as threatened as the rights of Albanians [in Kosovo] were," concluded Zukorlić, speaking about the southwestern region of Serbia which is home to a large Bosniak minority.