Muamer Zukorlić Explained

Muamer Zukorlić
Native Name:Муамер Зукорлић
Native Name Lang:sr
Office:Vice President of the National Assembly of Serbia
President:Ivica Dačić
Term Start:22 October 2020
Term End:6 November 2021
Office1:Member of the National Assembly of Serbia
Term Start1:3 June 2016
Term End1:22 October 2020
President1:Maja Gojković
Birth Date:15 February 1970
Birth Place:Tutin, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Death Place:Novi Pazar, Serbia
Citizenship:Bosnia, Serbia
Spouse:Umeja Abu Tahe[1]
Elma Elfić[2]
Party:Justice and Reconciliation Party (2013–2021)
Children:8 (including Usame)
Alma Mater:Emir Abdelkader University

Muamer Zukorlić (; 15 February 1970 – 6 November 2021) was a Bosniak 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 in 2021.

Early life

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. He studied Islamic sciences at the Emir Abdelkader University in Constantine, Algeria, graduating in 1993. He completed his postgraduate studies in Lebanon.[5]

Career

Islamic community

After finishing studies in Algeria, Zukorlić became a professor at the Gazi Isa-beg madrasa in Novi Pazar.[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. Zukorlić was later elected in 2007 as the president of the Islamic Community in Serbia and as the chief Mufti. 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. He was also a lecturer and dean in the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Novi Pazar. 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

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. 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. In 2021, Zukorlić also initially participated in the inter-party dialogue on electoral conditions with delegators from the European Parliament.[28] [29]

Political views

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. 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

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

Death

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]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Druga i treća Zukorlićeva žena se svađaju, ali ko je prva žena – Umeja Abu Tahe . nova.rs . 24 May 2022 . 22 March 2023.
  2. Web site: Oglasila se druga Zukorlićeva supruga nakon pojave treće muftijine žene i zahteva za nasledstvo: Sve je urađeno po šerijatskom pravu . Blic . 23 May 2022 . 22 March 2023.
  3. Web site: Muamer Zukorlić. 6 November 2021. balkans.aljazeera.net. bs.
  4. Web site: Preminuo Muamer Zukorlić. 6 November 2021. Radio Televizija Crne Gore. cnr.
  5. Web site: Serbian religious leader and politician Muamer Zukorlic has died. 7 November 2021. Slobodenpecat.mk. 6 November 2021.
  6. Web site: Muamer Zukorlić. 6 November 2021. Istinomer. sr-cyrl.
  7. Web site: BIOGRAFIJA MUAMERA ZUKORLIĆA: Bivši muftija i narodni poslanik. 6 November 2021. NOVOSTI. sr.
  8. Web site: PROFIL: Muamer Zukorlić. 6 November 2021. imovinapoliticara.krik.rs.
  9. Web site: Чиплић: Зукорлић се бори за политичку позицију. Politika Online.
  10. Web site: MUAMER ZUKORLIĆ – OPASAN ČOVEK. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100611062039/http://www.kurir-info.rs/vesti/politika/muamer-zukorlic-opasan-covek-36952.php. 11 June 2010. 10 June 2015. Kurir.
  11. Web site: Muamer Zukorlić se kandiduje za predsednika Srbije. 6 November 2021. Blic.rs. sr.
  12. Web site: 20 April 2012. Muamer Zukorlić – kandidat grupe građana. 6 November 2021. B92.
  13. Web site: 24 March 2012. Zukorlić ide u političare?. 6 November 2021. B92.
  14. Web site: 27 April 2012. Zukorlić: Za istorijsko pomirenje. 6 November 2021. Radio Television of Serbia.
  15. Web site: 27 April 2012. Muamer Zukorlić o upitniku GSA. 6 November 2021. gsa.org.rs.
  16. Web site: Izbori 2012: Rezultati i postizborna trgovina. 6 November 2021. Nedeljnik Vreme. 10 May 2012 .
  17. Web site: 11 May 2012. Zukorlić: Građani žrtve izborne krađe. 6 November 2021. Radio Television of Vojvodina.
  18. Web site: Zukorlić: Crnogorska vlast nas je prevarila. 6 November 2021. vijesti.me. sr.
  19. Web site: Zukorlić: Đukanoviću nije mirna savest. 6 November 2021. Mondo Portal. sr.
  20. Web site: Kočović. Nikola. Zukorlić više nije muftija, prelazi u političare. 6 November 2021. Blic.rs. sr.
  21. Web site: 6 November 2021. Ko je bio Muamer Zukorlić: Bivši muftija i narodni poslanik. 6 November 2021. Nova portal. sr-cyrl.
  22. Web site: 9 March 2016. Zukorlić na izborima 2016.. 6 November 2021. N1. sr-cyrl.
  23. Web site: Izborni rezultat 2016. 6 November 2021. Nedeljnik Vreme. 28 April 2016 .
  24. Web site: Srbijanski izbori u Sandžaku: SDA i BDZ-u po dva mandata u Skupštini, SDP na istoj razini kao i na prošlim izborima. 6 November 2021. www.aa.com.tr.
  25. Web site: 19 March 2017. Zukorlić podržao Vučića. 6 November 2021. N1. sr-cyrl.
  26. Web site: Umro Muamer Zukorlić. 6 November 2021. Radio Slobodna Evropa. sh.
  27. Web site: Muamer Zukorlić. 6 November 2021. otvoreniparlament.rs.
  28. Web site: 28 April 2021. Zukorlić će učestvovati u međustranačkom dijalogu uz posredovanje EU. 6 November 2021. N1. sr-cyrl.
  29. Web site: 8 July 2021. Počeo međustranački dijalog o listama manjina. 6 November 2021. Danas. sr-cyrl.
  30. Web site: 13 June 2020. Zukorlić: SPP se zalaže da odnosi na Balkanu budu komšijski. 6 November 2021. Danas. sr-RS.
  31. Web site: 1 June 2020. Zukorlić: Ravnomeran razvoj države nije moguć bez prave decentralizacije. 6 November 2021. N1. sr-RS.
  32. Web site: 8 August 2021. Zukorlić: Policija i pravosuđe da raskinu veze sa organizovanim kriminalom. 6 November 2021. N1. sr-cyrl.
  33. Web site: 23 December 2020. Zukorlić: Kriminal u Sandžaku se izlio poput fekalija, vratiti ga ispod šahta. 6 November 2021. N1. sr-cyrl.
  34. Web site: 17 May 2021. Zukorlić: Predloženi zakoni neustavni i menjaju naš tradicionalni etički obrazac. 6 November 2021. N1. sr-cyrl.
  35. Web site: 28 April 2020. LGBT udruženje "Da se zna": Zabrinjavajući stavovi Zukorlića. 6 November 2021. NOVA portal. sr-cyrl.
  36. Web site: 23 September 2021. Nacionalizam kao najopasniji ekstremizam. 6 November 2021. Danas. sr-cyrl.
  37. Web site: 7 June 2020. Zukorlić: Mi smo za punu integraciju, a protiv asimilacije. 6 November 2021. N1. sr-cyrl.
  38. Web site: 21 May 2020. Zukorlić: Borićemo se za potpunu zabranu kockarnica i kladionica. 6 November 2021. N1. sr-cyrl.
  39. Web site: 2022-07-11 . Treća žena muftije Zukorlića na namazu u sakou od nekoliko hiljada eura . 2024-07-23 . avaz.ba.
  40. Web site: RTVBN. 1 May 2017. Zukorlić dobio osmo dijete. sr. 20 June 2021.
  41. Web site: 16 November 2013. Porijeklo Radončića i Zukorlića. Sandžak Haber.
  42. Web site: 12 June 2011. Dnevni Avaz – Osnovana Bošnjačka akademija nauka i umjetnosti. https://web.archive.org/web/20110612101019/http://www.dnevniavaz.ba/vijesti/iz-minute-u-minutu/39452-u-novom-pazaru-osnovana-bosnjacka-akademija-nauka-i-umjetnosti.html. 12 June 2011.
  43. Web site: 6 November 2021. U 51. godini umro Muamer Zukorlić, bivši sandžački muftija. 6 November 2021. Klix.ba. bs.
  44. Web site: Serbia: Vice President of National Assembly dies at 51. 6 November 2021. Mustafa Talha. Öztürk. Anadolu Agency.
  45. Web site: 7 November 2021. Dan žalosti u Novom Pazaru, danas sahrana Muamera Zukorlića. 7 November 2021. N1. sr-cyrl.
  46. Web site: 2022-04-10 . Porodica sumnja da je bivši muftija i političar Muamer Zukorlić otrovan . 2022-04-10 . N1 . sr-RS.