Backa Eparchy, Islamic Community condemn attacks on Muslims

BELGRADE - The Diocese of Backa of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) has called on all citizens, particularly the Diocese's believers in the Serbian province of Vojvodina, to refrain from any form of violence towards their fellow citizens of Albanian ethnicity and Muslim religion.

In several cities in Vojvodina, bakeries and confectionary stores owned by ethnic Albanians were subjected to attacks following an incident that occurred at the football match between Serbia and Albania in Belgrade on October 14.
The European championship qualifier match between Serbia and Albania in Belgrade on October 14 was abandoned after a brawl that followed the appearance of a drone with a flag depicting the so called Greater Albania, a nationalist project that would include parts of Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Greece.

The Diocese of Backa urged citizens and believers to condemn the attacks on the property of Muslims (Albanians), and called on the government to protect its citizens and bring culprits to the book.
"Muslims (ethnic Albanians) in Serbia cannot be held responsible for the provocations by their fellow countrymen from Albania and any threat to their lives and property deserves condemnation," reads the Diocese's statement.

The Islamic Community of Serbia also condemned in the harshest terms on Friday the rampage by a group of hooligans in Vojvodina cities and attacks on property of ethnic Albanians and Muslim Gorani.

At the same time, it condemned "any form of provocation, including the one that occurred in the match between Serbia and Albania" and distanced itself from any "nationalist provocation".

The Mufti of Vojvodina called on citizens on Friday to raise their voice against any form of extremism...