Ministry issues another Cerić statement

The Ministry of Religion says that Serbia is "open to all people of good will, but that this must not be abused". "Serbia is an open and hospitable country to all people of good will," the statement issued on Saturday says, and adds that the previous one made public on Friday, related to Bosnian Grand Mufti Mustafa Ceric, was "maliciously misinterpreted". Ministry issues another Ceric statement The ministry also said that those who are welcomed in Serbia "must not abuse this, especially if they head religious communities that are meant to contribute to peace and cooperation between peoples and nations". These leaders' comments, the statement further said, should contribute to reconciliation, rather than to more disunity and creation of a non-existent problem – "Muslim and Bosniak human rights". The ministry adds that since 2000, no international organization noted any case where human rights of Muslims and Bosniaks in Serbia had been violated, or those of any other ethnic group or people living in the country. Earlier, reports quoted the ministry's statement issued in Belgrade on Friday, which said that the "controversial" reis-ul-ulema, who heads the Islamic Community in Bosnia-Herzegovina, during his recent visit to the Islamic community in Serbia, "sent very threatening and insulting messages to Serbia". The statement further added that the ministry "had taken note" of the comments made by Ceric and "seriously perceived the direct and indirect threats made by this religious dignitary to Serbia and her security". "Therefore we believe that Mustafa Ceric does not deserve to be a welcome guest in our country," the press release read. Tanjug news agency reported that the ministry pointed out that the grand mufti is one of several Bosnian "politicians" who had "access to secret war financial funds" and that he is the "creator of the idea about Bosniaks [Bosnian Muslims] being part of the Turkish people and of hegemonic Bosniak ideology about the Bosniak nation, consisting of three ethnic groups". The ministry, according to the Tanjug report, also said that Ceric is a supporter of Kosovo Albanians' secession, as well as that the "public justifiably wants to know" whether he is threatening Serbia with war confrontation under Bosnian or Kosovo scenario, "and what such a reckless person was doing in Serbia anyway". The statement also said that Ceric relayed, "in the form of an oath" the message from the tomb of Bosnian Muslim leader Alija Izetbegovic ("And we swear on God the Great that we will be no one's slaves"), accusing Serbia of violating the rights of Muslims, "while at the same time denying the existence of Serbs in Bosnia". The ministry rejected accusations of violations of the rights of Muslims, and said it financially supported religious, cultural, educational and scientific needs of the country's Muslim population. In Sarajevo, the Islamic Community in Bosnia-Herzegovina reacted with a statement of its own today, saying that the Serbian ministry's press release reminded of the "war propaganda of the Serbian nationalist centers about 'self-shelling' of Sarajevo's citizens or 'several hundred' murdered Srebrenica residents in the July 1995 genocide". "It is a blatant untruth that the reis-ul-ulema ever denied the existence of the Serb nation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, just as it is a blatant untruth that he sent any threatening or offensive messages to the Republic of Serbia," the statement said. It further explained that Ceric in his addresses "clearly and publicly said that Muslims in Serbia are Serbian citizens, that Muslims in Serbia must achieve their rights within the legal and constitutional order of the Republic of Serbia, as their country, which has an obligation to secure full freedom and equality for them, just as that enjoyed by other peoples in Serbia". "The Serbian Ministry of Religion is showing signs of nervousness with this statement, either because of a voice of conscience due to its involvement in creating Islamic communities to suit it, or because the concept, which took plenty of work and ambition, is collapsing," the Islamic Community in Bosnia-Herzegovina said. Ceric in Sandzak recently (Tanjug)

Ministry issues another Cerić statement

The ministry also said that those who are welcomed in Serbia "must not abuse this, especially if they head religious communities that are meant to contribute to peace and cooperation between peoples and nations".

These leaders' comments, the statement further said, should contribute to reconciliation, rather than to more disunity and creation of a non-existent problem – "Muslim and Bosniak human rights".

The ministry adds that since 2000, no international organization noted any case where human rights of Muslims and Bosniaks in Serbia had been violated, or those of any other ethnic group or people living in the country.

Earlier, reports quoted the ministry's statement issued in Belgrade on Friday, which said that the "controversial" reis-ul-ulema, who heads the Islamic Community in Bosnia-Herzegovina, during his recent visit to the Islamic community in Serbia, "sent very threatening and insulting messages to Serbia".

The statement further added that the ministry "had taken note" of the comments made by Cerić and "seriously perceived the direct and indirect threats made by this religious dignitary to Serbia and her security".

"Therefore we believe that Mustafa Cerić does not deserve to be a welcome guest in our country," the press release read.

Tanjug news agency reported that the ministry pointed out that the grand mufti is one of several Bosnian "politicians" who had "access to secret war financial funds" and that he is the "creator of the idea about Bosniaks [Bosnian Muslims] being part of the Turkish people and of hegemonic Bosniak ideology about the Bosniak nation, consisting of three ethnic groups".

The ministry, according to the Tanjug report, also said that Cerić is a supporter of Kosovo Albanians' secession, as well as that the "public justifiably wants to know" whether he is threatening Serbia with war confrontation under Bosnian or Kosovo scenario, "and what such a reckless person was doing in Serbia anyway".

The statement also said that Cerić relayed, "in the form of an oath" the message from the tomb of Bosnian Muslim leader Alija Izetbegović ("And we swear on God the Great that we will be no one's slaves"), accusing Serbia of violating the rights of Muslims, "while at the same time denying the existence of Serbs in Bosnia".

The ministry rejected accusations of violations of the rights of Muslims, and said it financially supported religious, cultural, educational and scientific needs of the country's Muslim population.

In Sarajevo, the Islamic Community in Bosnia-Herzegovina reacted with a statement of its own today, saying that the Serbian ministry's press release reminded of the "war propaganda of the Serbian nationalist centers about 'self-shelling' of Sarajevo's citizens or 'several hundred' murdered Srebrenica residents in the July 1995 genocide".

"It is a blatant untruth that the reis-ul-ulema ever denied the existence of the Serb nation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, just as it is a blatant untruth that he sent any threatening or offensive messages to the Republic of Serbia," the statement said.

It further explained that Cerić in his addresses "clearly and publicly said that Muslims in Serbia are Serbian citizens, that Muslims in Serbia must achieve their rights within the legal and constitutional order of the Republic of Serbia, as their country, which has an obligation to secure full freedom and equality for them, just as that enjoyed by other peoples in Serbia".

"The Serbian Ministry of Religion is showing signs of nervousness with this statement, either because of a voice of conscience due to its involvement in creating Islamic communities to suit it, or because the concept, which took plenty of work and ambition, is collapsing," the Islamic Community in Bosnia-Herzegovina said.