Islamic communities condemn minister’s statement

BELGRADE The Islamic Community in Serbia and Islamic Community of Serbia have condemned Minister without Portfolio Sulejman Ugljanin’s attempt to unite them. The Islamic Community in Serbia and Islamic Community of Serbia have stated that they would not agree to the proposal “no matter if this was a domestic or foreign interference”. Islamic communities condemn minister’s statement Islamic Community of Serbia Mufti Muhamed Jusufspahic and Islamic Community in Serbia’s Resad Plojovic agree that politicians should not interfere with religious issues. “The Islamic Community of Serbia strongly condemns the cabinet Minister Sulejman Ugljanin’s outbursts that represent a gross violation of the law and independence of the Islamic community that is guaranteed by the law. Minister Ugljanin should think about jobs he got a mandate for from the Bosniak people and that is to solve the economic crisis, unemployment and poverty that the country, Sandzak region and people are in,” Jusufspahic pointed out. “The Islamic Community in Serbia condemns interference of domestic and international political factors in the Islamic community’s internal issues and their attempt to violate autonomy of the freedom of the Islamic community. Let us remind you that those factors in 2007, with the help of Vojislav Kostunica’s regime, caused problems in the Islamic community with attempts to take away leading positions in the Islamic community,“ Plojovic stressed. Commenting on accusations that he was interfering with the Islamic community’s independence, Ugljanin called on religious leaders to resolve their differences by themselves. “We do not want to interfere with the internal issues of the Islamic community and we call on religious leaders to resolve their differences and divisions,” the minister told Tanjug. Ugljanin said at a session of the Party of Democratic Action of Sandzak (SDA) Presidency that a unification of the two Islamic communities should be considered bearing in mind that the idea was advocated by young imams on both sides. Sulejman Ugljanin (Beta, file) B92

Islamic communities condemn minister’s statement

Islamic Community of Serbia Mufti Muhamed Jusufspahić and Islamic Community in Serbia’s Rešad Plojović agree that politicians should not interfere with religious issues.

“The Islamic Community of Serbia strongly condemns the cabinet Minister Sulejman Ugljanin’s outbursts that represent a gross violation of the law and independence of the Islamic community that is guaranteed by the law. Minister Ugljanin should think about jobs he got a mandate for from the Bosniak people and that is to solve the economic crisis, unemployment and poverty that the country, Sandžak region and people are in,” Jusufspahić pointed out.

“The Islamic Community in Serbia condemns interference of domestic and international political factors in the Islamic community’s internal issues and their attempt to violate autonomy of the freedom of the Islamic community. Let us remind you that those factors in 2007, with the help of Vojislav Koštunica’s regime, caused problems in the Islamic community with attempts to take away leading positions in the Islamic community,“ Plojović stressed.

Commenting on accusations that he was interfering with the Islamic community’s independence, Ugljanin called on religious leaders to resolve their differences by themselves.

“We do not want to interfere with the internal issues of the Islamic community and we call on religious leaders to resolve their differences and divisions,” the minister told Tanjug.

Ugljanin said at a session of the Party of Democratic Action of Sandžak (SDA) Presidency that a unification of the two Islamic communities should be considered bearing in mind that the idea was advocated by young imams on both sides.