Mufti radicalizing Sandžak, says minister

Minister of Human and Minority Rights Svetozar Ciplic claims that Mufti Muamer Zukorlic intends to radicalize the Sandzak issue, Novosti reported. Ciplic believes that Zukorlic is radicalizing situation in that part of Serbia in order to make personal political gains, but said that the government is adamant not to allow this to happen. Mufti radicalizing Sandzak, says minister "These incidents are the corner stone of his media and political promotion. His tactics is to produce an artificial crisis, and then impose himself as a negotiator in resolving the crisis", Ciplic said. Ciplic said that the state was ready to discuss creating the National Council of Bosniaks, issues of minority and religious rights, religious education, but not the constitutional status of Bosniaks or Sandzak autonomy, the things Zukorlic demands. "He can neither be an equal participant in these matters nor can he be a negotiator. Zukorlic has forgotten that he is a religious leader, not a political force", Ciplic said. He said that "by abusing his position of the religious leader, Zukorlic is trying to depict himself as a political leader" and that he saw "the elections for national councils as a shortcut to the political and national leadership." "Zukorlic is noisy and aggressive, but that in itself does not mean he has any political power. He cannot be a political force because he did not participate in any parliamentary or local elections. Bosniaks have their legitimate representatives both in parliament and in the government", Ciplic said. He said that all Zukorlic’s claims are completely unfounded, because Bosniaks share the fate of all Serbian citizens and are neither worse off nor better off than anyone else. They, too, suffer the consequences of poverty and economic crisis, like most citizens of Serbia. "It is Zukorlic himself who is discriminating against Muslims and believers. Bosniaks are not the only Muslims in Serbia, there are Albanians and Roma, too. By reducing himself to the leader of the Bosniaks, he discriminated against other Muslims," Ciplic said. Having stated that "Zukorlic is trying to get things out of control", but that "nevertheless, everything’s under control," Ciplic added that the state would respond "in the same fashion it has been responding so far – lawfully." "I believe that Mufti will have the same status as any other Serbian citizen should he step into to the zone of civil or criminal liability", Ciplic said. Svetozar Ciplic (FoNet)

Mufti radicalizing Sandžak, says minister

"These incidents are the corner stone of his media and political promotion. His tactics is to produce an artificial crisis, and then impose himself as a negotiator in resolving the crisis", Čiplić said.

Čiplić said that the state was ready to discuss creating the National Council of Bosniaks, issues of minority and religious rights, religious education, but not the constitutional status of Bosniaks or Sandžak autonomy, the things Zukorlić demands.

"He can neither be an equal participant in these matters nor can he be a negotiator. Zukorlić has forgotten that he is a religious leader, not a political force", Čiplić said.

He said that "by abusing his position of the religious leader, Zukorlić is trying to depict himself as a political leader" and that he saw "the elections for national councils as a shortcut to the political and national leadership."

"Zukorlić is noisy and aggressive, but that in itself does not mean he has any political power. He cannot be a political force because he did not participate in any parliamentary or local elections. Bosniaks have their legitimate representatives both in parliament and in the government", Čiplić said.

He said that all Zukorlić’s claims are completely unfounded, because Bosniaks share the fate of all Serbian citizens and are neither worse off nor better off than anyone else. They, too, suffer the consequences of poverty and economic crisis, like most citizens of Serbia.

"It is Zukorlić himself who is discriminating against Muslims and believers. Bosniaks are not the only Muslims in Serbia, there are Albanians and Roma, too. By reducing himself to the leader of the Bosniaks, he discriminated against other Muslims," Čiplić said.

Having stated that "Zukorlić is trying to get things out of control", but that "nevertheless, everything’s under control," Čiplić added that the state would respond "in the same fashion it has been responding so far – lawfully."

"I believe that Mufti will have the same status as any other Serbian citizen should he step into to the zone of civil or criminal liability", Čiplić said.