Muamer Zukorlić (Serbian Cyrillic: Муамер Зукорлић; 15 February 1970 – 6 November 2021) was a Serbian politician and Islamic theologian who served as the president and chief Mufti of the Islamic Community in Serbia. An ethnic Bosniak, he was elected to the National Assembly of Serbia in 2016, later serving as one of its vice presidents from 2020 until his death.

Muamer Zukorlić
Муамер Зукорлић
Zukorlić in 2016
Vice President of the National Assembly of Serbia
In office
22 October 2020 – 6 November 2021
PresidentIvica Dačić
Member of the National Assembly of Serbia
In office
3 June 2016 – 22 October 2020
PresidentMaja Gojković
Personal details
Born(1970-02-15)15 February 1970
Tutin, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Died6 November 2021(2021-11-06) (aged 51)
Novi Pazar, Serbia
CitizenshipBosnia, Serbia
Political partyJustice and Reconciliation Party (2013–2021)
Spouse(s)Umeja Abu Tahe[1]
Elma Elfić[2]
Children8 (including Usame)
Alma materEmir Abdelkader University
Occupation

Early life edit

Zukorlić was born on 15 February 1970 in Orlje near Tutin, SFR Yugoslavia,[3] where he grew up with his family.[4] He attended primary school in the village of Ribariće and the Gazi Husrev Bey's Madrasa in Sarajevo.[3] He studied Islamic sciences at the Emir Abdelkader University in Constantine, Algeria, graduating in 1993.[3][4] He completed his postgraduate studies in Lebanon.[5]

Career edit

Islamic community edit

After finishing studies in Algeria, Zukorlić became a professor at the Gazi Isa-beg madrasa in Novi Pazar.[4][6] In October 1993, he was elected as the president of the newly established Islamic Community of Sandžak, a role that he held until early 2016.[3][6] Zukorlić was later elected in 2007 as the president of the Islamic Community in Serbia and as the chief Mufti.[3] He was also a member of the assembly of the Bosniak National Council and a member of the riyaset of Islamic Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[3] He was also a lecturer and dean in the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Novi Pazar.[4] Zukorlić was also the founder and editor-in-chief of the first Islamic newspaper in Sandžak, the Voice of Islam, and was one of the initiators to establish the publishing house "El Kelimeh" in Serbia and Mekteb for preschool and school age children.[7] During his time as chief Mufti, Zukorlić's bodyguards allegedly included people who illegally carried weapons and those who were convicted of attempted murder, but he denied those statements.[8]

Politics edit

As a member of the Bosniak National Council, he supported the declaration in which they proclaimed Bosniaks as one of the constituent people in Serbia.[9] After being elected, he said that "the territory of Sandžak will be free and will never be enslaved".[10]

Zukorlić participated in the 2012 presidential election as a candidate representing a civic group.[11][12] He received support from the Bosniak Democratic Union of Sandžak, which he joined a year later.[13] He campaigned on women's rights issues and reconciliation between Muslim ethnic groups in Serbia and Non-Muslim Serbs,[14] he called to end discrimination against minorities,[15] and compared himself to Barack Obama during election campaigning.[14] Zukorlić placed eleventh in the first round, winning 54,492 votes in total.[16] Shortly after the results were published, Zukorlić claimed electoral fraud.[17]

In 2013, Zukorlić commented that Milo Đukanović promised autonomy for Bosniaks within Montenegro, but that he went on to break their deal and that therefore his "conscience is not clear".[18][19]

Zukorlić stepped down from his position of chief Mufti in 2016 in order to run in the 2016 parliamentary election.[20][21] He was chosen as the ballot carrier, and campaigned on reconciliation and his accomplishments as a chief Mufti.[22] The list that he represented won 32,526 votes and managed to win two seats in the National Assembly.[23] Election results also showed that Zukorlić's popularity grew in Sandžak.[24] He supported Aleksandar Vučić in the 2017 presidential election.[25]

Zukorlić held the seat until October 2020, when he was chosen to be one of the vice presidents of the National Assembly.[26] Although he did not attend 695 voting sessions in the National Assembly, he voted 100% in line with the SNS-led government.[27] He held the role of vice president until his death.[26] In 2021, Zukorlić also initially participated in the inter-party dialogue on electoral conditions with delegators from the European Parliament.[28][29]

Political views edit

 
Zukorlić in 2010

Zukorlić supported peaceful relations with other countries in the Balkans, and campaigned during previous elections on a reconciliation program.[30] In order to combat unequal state development, Zukorlić called for decentralization of Serbia.[31] He also called to end organized crime in Serbia.[32][33] Zukorlić held socially conservative views and he opposed laws on gender equality and protection against discrimination,[34] even though he previously called to end discrimination against minority groups.[15] In 2020, Zukorlić blamed homosexuality and LGBT pride parades for allegedly spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.[35] He opposed radical nationalism and assimilation of ethnic groups.[36][37] He supported a complete ban on casinos and betting shops.[38]

Personal life edit

Zukorlić had three wives[39] and eight children.[3][40] His mother came from the Radončić family.[41] He was fluent in Arabic.[6] He was a member and one of the founders of the Bosniak Academy of Sciences and Arts,[42] and was an educated Islamic theologian.[12] His family was involved in the illegal construction of multiple buildings.[8]

Death edit

Zukorlić died of a heart attack in Novi Pazar on 6 November 2021, at the age of 51.[43] He was scheduled to give a lecture at a university that day, but he fell ill immediately before that.[44] A day of mourning was proclaimed in Novi Pazar and his funeral was held a day later.[45]

On 10 April 2022, Zukorlić's son, Usame, stated at a press conference that his family "has a well-founded suspicion that Muamer Zukorlić was poisoned".[46]

References edit

  1. ^ "Druga i treća Zukorlićeva žena se svađaju, ali ko je prva žena – Umeja Abu Tahe". nova.rs. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  2. ^ "Oglasila se druga Zukorlićeva supruga nakon pojave treće muftijine žene i zahteva za nasledstvo: Sve je urađeno po šerijatskom pravu". Blic. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Muamer Zukorlić". balkans.aljazeera.net (in Bosnian). Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d "Preminuo Muamer Zukorlić". Radio Televizija Crne Gore (in Montenegrin). Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Serbian religious leader and politician Muamer Zukorlic has died". Slobodenpecat.mk. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  6. ^ a b c "Muamer Zukorlić". Istinomer (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  7. ^ "BIOGRAFIJA MUAMERA ZUKORLIĆA: Bivši muftija i narodni poslanik". NOVOSTI (in Serbian). Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  8. ^ a b "PROFIL: Muamer Zukorlić". imovinapoliticara.krik.rs. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Чиплић: Зукорлић се бори за политичку позицију". Politika Online.
  10. ^ "MUAMER ZUKORLIĆ – OPASAN ČOVEK". Kurir. Archived from the original on 11 June 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  11. ^ "Muamer Zukorlić se kandiduje za predsednika Srbije". Blic.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Muamer Zukorlić – kandidat grupe građana". B92. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  13. ^ "Zukorlić ide u političare?". B92. 24 March 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Zukorlić: Za istorijsko pomirenje". Radio Television of Serbia. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Muamer Zukorlić o upitniku GSA". gsa.org.rs. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  16. ^ "Izbori 2012: Rezultati i postizborna trgovina". Nedeljnik Vreme. 10 May 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  17. ^ "Zukorlić: Građani žrtve izborne krađe". Radio Television of Vojvodina. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  18. ^ "Zukorlić: Crnogorska vlast nas je prevarila". vijesti.me (in Serbian). Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  19. ^ "Zukorlić: Đukanoviću nije mirna savest". Mondo Portal (in Serbian). Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  20. ^ Kočović, Nikola. "Zukorlić više nije muftija, prelazi u političare". Blic.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  21. ^ "Ko je bio Muamer Zukorlić: Bivši muftija i narodni poslanik". Nova portal (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  22. ^ "Zukorlić na izborima 2016". N1 (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). 9 March 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  23. ^ "Izborni rezultat 2016". Nedeljnik Vreme. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  24. ^ "Srbijanski izbori u Sandžaku: SDA i BDZ-u po dva mandata u Skupštini, SDP na istoj razini kao i na prošlim izborima". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  25. ^ "Zukorlić podržao Vučića". N1 (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). 19 March 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  26. ^ a b "Umro Muamer Zukorlić". Radio Slobodna Evropa (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  27. ^ "Muamer Zukorlić". otvoreniparlament.rs. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  28. ^ "Zukorlić će učestvovati u međustranačkom dijalogu uz posredovanje EU". N1 (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). 28 April 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  29. ^ "Počeo međustranački dijalog o listama manjina". Danas (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). 8 July 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  30. ^ "Zukorlić: SPP se zalaže da odnosi na Balkanu budu komšijski". Danas (in Serbian). 13 June 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  31. ^ "Zukorlić: Ravnomeran razvoj države nije moguć bez prave decentralizacije". N1 (in Serbian). 1 June 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  32. ^ "Zukorlić: Policija i pravosuđe da raskinu veze sa organizovanim kriminalom". N1 (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). 8 August 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  33. ^ "Zukorlić: Kriminal u Sandžaku se izlio poput fekalija, vratiti ga ispod šahta". N1 (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). 23 December 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  34. ^ "Zukorlić: Predloženi zakoni neustavni i menjaju naš tradicionalni etički obrazac". N1 (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). 17 May 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  35. ^ "LGBT udruženje "Da se zna": Zabrinjavajući stavovi Zukorlića". NOVA portal (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). 28 April 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  36. ^ "Nacionalizam kao najopasniji ekstremizam". Danas (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). 23 September 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  37. ^ "Zukorlić: Mi smo za punu integraciju, a protiv asimilacije". N1 (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). 7 June 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  38. ^ "Zukorlić: Borićemo se za potpunu zabranu kockarnica i kladionica". N1 (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). 21 May 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  39. ^ https://avaz.ba/vijesti/bih/756943/treca-zena-muftije-zukorlica-na-namazu-u-sakou-od-nekoliko-hiljada-eura
  40. ^ "Zukorlić dobio osmo dijete". RTVBN (in Serbian). 1 May 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  41. ^ "Porijeklo Radončića i Zukorlića". Sandžak Haber. 16 November 2013.
  42. ^ "Dnevni Avaz – Osnovana Bošnjačka akademija nauka i umjetnosti". 12 June 2011. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011.
  43. ^ "U 51. godini umro Muamer Zukorlić, bivši sandžački muftija" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  44. ^ Öztürk, Mustafa Talha. "Serbia: Vice President of National Assembly dies at 51". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  45. ^ "Dan žalosti u Novom Pazaru, danas sahrana Muamera Zukorlića". N1 (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). 7 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  46. ^ "Porodica sumnja da je bivši muftija i političar Muamer Zukorlić otrovan". N1 (in Serbian). 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.

External links edit