Muslims in Bulgaria Cook Another Protest

The Muslims in Bulgaria have organized many protests against the reinstatement of Nedim Gendzhev as their religious leader in the country. Photo by BGNES

The Chief Mufti's Office in Bulgaria is preparing to gather 4 000 Muslims in Sofia for another mass protest on July 29.

The protesters will express their dissatisfaction with the disrespect of their religious rights by the state institutions. They will also demand changes in the Religious Act and the registration of the religious leadership that their community has chosen.

A subscription in support of the leadership they chose on October 31, 2009 will be submitted to the Presidency, Parliament and Council of Ministers.

This is another protest of the Muslim community in Bulgaria after the ruling of the Supreme Court of Cassation from May 12.

So far, there have been four peace protests. On July 10, the Bulgarian Muslims even demanded a conduction of an emergency Muslim conference, overseen by representatives of the EU member states.

The reason for the demand was the reinstatement of Nedim Gendzhev as the Muslim religious leader in Bulgaria.

In October 2009, the National Muslim Conference decided to elect Mustafa Ali Hadzhias Chief Mufti. However, Gendzev appealed the Conference's vote and the Bulgarian Supreme Court of Cassations decided to reinstated him as Chief Mufti in May.

The muftis has issued a declaration that Mustafa Ali Hadzhi is the only legally elected Chief Mufti in Bulgaria. They were saying they will send the declaration to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, The European Commission, the President, Georgi Parvanov, the Speaker of the Parliament, Tsetska Tsacheva, the Chairs of all Parliamentary Groups, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Judicial Council, and the Ombudsman.

Mustafa Ali Hadzhi declared the Court is showing disregard for the vote and the wish of the people, and has been influenced by external factors, adding the Muslim community in Bulgaria will continue its fight for justice.

Gendzhev is notorious in Bulgaria over allegations of trading in political influence and Prosecutor's charges of illegally withdrawing huge sums from the accounts of the Chief Mufti Office.

According to the regional Mufti in the Bulgarian city of Pleven, Hadzhi Nedzhiatin Mustafa Nedzhip, Gendzhev is also trying to bring back the Revival Process, which was a campaign of the former Communist regime, during which the Muslim's native names have been replaced with Bulgarian ones.

Nedzhip believes that Gendzhev is also trying to eliminate the creed, so that the Muslims cannot profess their religion freely, adding that Gendzhev has sent letters to the municipalities all over Bulgaria to ask for demolishing Muslim board of trustees.

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