"Egypt" could happen in Serbia, mufti says

Islamic Community in Serbia Chief Mufti Muamer Zukorlic has warned the authorities that “Egypt scenario” could easily happen in Serbia if they are not careful. He told the Belgrade authorities to “learn the lessons from Egypt and Tunisia”. "Egypt" could happen in Serbia, mufti says The Novi Pazar-based mufti, who heads one of Serbia's two rival Islamic communities, said the events from Egypt and Tunisia could easily happen in "Gazi Isa-beg Square in Novi Pazar", or Republic Square in Belgrade. He claims that the Serbian authorities consider insults of Islam and Muslims, the Islamic community and its leaders as the freedom of speech, and that "when Muslims in Serbia raise their voice that's considered to hate speech". “Those are hypocritical messages. It is an attempt to enslave us further the way they have been doing for the last 100 years. Now that we have raised our voice, when we are standing in lines, when we have made our own institutions, when we have put our sons and daughters through school, the only thing left is for them to insult us. But they will not succeed. Let them learn lessons from Egypt and Tunisia,” Zukorlic was quoted as saying. He claims that the Serbian public was recently upset when several young women in Novi Pazar covered their heads with hijabs. “Several girls covered themselves, the public became upset, but when a disco club opens in which drugs are sold, nobody objects. When citizens’ property is bought with drug dealers’ money nobody objects, not even non-governmental organizations raise their voice then. And nobody objects when somebody tries to buy waqf (Muslim endowment) property with drug dealers’ money,” the mufti claims. He added that this was happening because "those are the people who have the same employers, belong to the same circles, hold common values and think that you are good if you are against Islam and Muslims and that you are not good if you belong to Islam and Muslims”. According to him, every non-democratic government wanted to enslave Muslims and the present Serbian government is still doing it today. “They did this to us in 1945 and in 1990. And they are doing it to us now. They install people in politics, in the non-governmental sector, give them media coverage, some money, and they hang out on television and you see them explaining something, while they have nothing to show for in their lives,” Zukorlic said. He stressed that the authorities would never be able to take traditions away from Muslims and that he was proud of his people because they had recognized it. “And all that media demagogy, terminology is for nothing. It’s all for nothing because the people recognize that and people will achieve their goals either democratically, the way they are supposed to, through European elections, or the African way. I recommend the European one,” the mufti was quoted. Muamer Zukorlic (Beta, file)

"Egypt" could happen in Serbia, mufti says

The Novi Pazar-based mufti, who heads one of Serbia's two rival Islamic communities, said the events from Egypt and Tunisia could easily happen in "Gazi Isa-beg Square in Novi Pazar", or Republic Square in Belgrade.

He claims that the Serbian authorities consider insults of Islam and Muslims, the Islamic community and its leaders as the freedom of speech, and that "when Muslims in Serbia raise their voice that's considered to hate speech".

“Those are hypocritical messages. It is an attempt to enslave us further the way they have been doing for the last 100 years. Now that we have raised our voice, when we are standing in lines, when we have made our own institutions, when we have put our sons and daughters through school, the only thing left is for them to insult us. But they will not succeed. Let them learn lessons from Egypt and Tunisia,” Zukorlić was quoted as saying.

He claims that the Serbian public was recently upset when several young women in Novi Pazar covered their heads with hijabs.

“Several girls covered themselves, the public became upset, but when a disco club opens in which drugs are sold, nobody objects. When citizens’ property is bought with drug dealers’ money nobody objects, not even non-governmental organizations raise their voice then. And nobody objects when somebody tries to buy waqf (Muslim endowment) property with drug dealers’ money,” the mufti claims.

He added that this was happening because "those are the people who have the same employers, belong to the same circles, hold common values and think that you are good if you are against Islam and Muslims and that you are not good if you belong to Islam and Muslims”.

According to him, every non-democratic government wanted to enslave Muslims and the present Serbian government is still doing it today.

“They did this to us in 1945 and in 1990. And they are doing it to us now. They install people in politics, in the non-governmental sector, give them media coverage, some money, and they hang out on television and you see them explaining something, while they have nothing to show for in their lives,” Zukorlić said.

He stressed that the authorities would never be able to take traditions away from Muslims and that he was proud of his people because they had recognized it.

“And all that media demagogy, terminology is for nothing. It’s all for nothing because the people recognize that and people will achieve their goals either democratically, the way they are supposed to, through European elections, or the African way. I recommend the European one,” the mufti was quoted.