Mufti: Autonomy becoming more certain

Islamic Community in Serbia Chief Mufti Muamer Zukorlic says that Sandzak autonomy is his principled conviction and that it does not stem from daily politics. He told B92 that he did not want talk about an acceptable level of autonomy because, as he said, the Belgrade authorities needed to realize that on their own. Mufti: Autonomy becoming more certain “The autonomy is becoming more certain, that’s my conviction and the authorities will realize that and they will provide safety to citizens,” the mufti stressed. “What is the problem that we now should believe Serbia and give it our lives after everything that happened to Bosniaks in several genocides,” he said. B92: Who is asking you to give your life? Zukorlic: Let me finish and you will understand who is asking. The state is. It goes without saying. We trust Serbia's constitutional order with our lives, our destiny. How should I know that it will protect me? How should I know that there won't be another General Mladic? B92: How is autonomy going to protect you from that? Zukorlic: Well nicely, I have a level of self-government to a certain extent. B92: What level? Zukorlic: As high as it can be so the solution is acceptable to Bosniaks in Sandzak, without jeopardizing Serbia's sovereignity. That's the right level. Therefore, I don't see why you won't focus on the issue of trust which should go both ways. We give ourselves to Serbia for safekeeping but it should also trust us to some extent. Here, we'll trust it 100 percent and let it trust us two percent. B92: When you say “the autonomy is becoming more certain”, on what do you base the claim? Zukorlic: Based on my personal conviction, based on consciousness which is rising in Sandzak and based on strong belief that a moment will come when the authorities will realize that it is in the interest of the state and its stability to keep its citizens in that region peaceful and safe. When asked why he as a religious leader wanted to deal with administrative organization, the mufti said that he dealt with survival and that nobody would discriminate him “because he wears that cap on his head”. Commenting on Bosniak member of Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic’s statement that he had been wrong to support him, Zukorlic said that the statement was devastating and that it had serious political consequences. “The statement is unpleasant for me, but it is devastating for him, with serious political consequences. He said he had regrets. I have no intention of fixing those relations, his statement is his right. It is a change in behavior before and after the elections,” the mufti pointed out. He assessed that Izetbegovic would suffer serious political consequences because of his statement “because it is a matter of attitude toward Sandzak”. Izetbegovic recently told Sarajevo-based daily Oslobodjenje that he was wrong to support the mufti. “This is about him turning his back to Sandzak. Not only for saying that. This is about wrong policy, which is irresponsible toward Sandzak. Bakir Izetbegovic agrees with Sandzak autonomy policy but he does not feel politically powerful enough to say that“ Zukorlic added. There are two rival Islamic communities in Serbia. The one led by Zukorlic is a part of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Rijaset, while the other is led by Reis-ul-Ulema Adem Zilkic. Zukorlic said that it was still too early to talk about him possibly running for reis-ul-ulema, but added that he would carefully think it through once the time came. Muamer Zukorlic

Mufti: Autonomy becoming more certain

“The autonomy is becoming more certain, that’s my conviction and the authorities will realize that and they will provide safety to citizens,” the mufti stressed.

“What is the problem that we now should believe Serbia and give it our lives after everything that happened to Bosniaks in several genocides,” he said.

B92: Who is asking you to give your life?

Zukorlić: Let me finish and you will understand who is asking. The state is. It goes without saying. We trust Serbia's constitutional order with our lives, our destiny. How should I know that it will protect me? How should I know that there won't be another General Mladić?

B92: How is autonomy going to protect you from that?

Zukorlić: Well nicely, I have a level of self-government to a certain extent.

B92: What level?

Zukorlić: As high as it can be so the solution is acceptable to Bosniaks in Sandžak, without jeopardizing Serbia's sovereignity. That's the right level. Therefore, I don't see why you won't focus on the issue of trust which should go both ways. We give ourselves to Serbia for safekeeping but it should also trust us to some extent. Here, we'll trust it 100 percent and let it trust us two percent.

B92: When you say “the autonomy is becoming more certain”, on what do you base the claim?

Zukorlić: Based on my personal conviction, based on consciousness which is rising in Sandžak and based on strong belief that a moment will come when the authorities will realize that it is in the interest of the state and its stability to keep its citizens in that region peaceful and safe.

When asked why he as a religious leader wanted to deal with administrative organization, the mufti said that he dealt with survival and that nobody would discriminate him “because he wears that cap on his head”.

Commenting on Bosniak member of Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Bakir Izetbegović’s statement that he had been wrong to support him, Zukorlić said that the statement was devastating and that it had serious political consequences.

“The statement is unpleasant for me, but it is devastating for him, with serious political consequences. He said he had regrets. I have no intention of fixing those relations, his statement is his right. It is a change in behavior before and after the elections,” the mufti pointed out.

He assessed that Izetbegović would suffer serious political consequences because of his statement “because it is a matter of attitude toward Sandžak”.

Izetbegović recently told Sarajevo-based daily Oslobođenje that he was wrong to support the mufti.

“This is about him turning his back to Sandžak. Not only for saying that. This is about wrong policy, which is irresponsible toward Sandžak. Bakir Izetbegović agrees with Sandžak autonomy policy but he does not feel politically powerful enough to say that“ Zukorlić added.

There are two rival Islamic communities in Serbia. The one led by Zukorlić is a part of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Rijaset, while the other is led by Reis-ul-Ulema Adem Zilkić.

Zukorlić said that it was still too early to talk about him possibly running for reis-ul-ulema, but added that he would carefully think it through once the time came.