DECLARATION

Of the Organization of Jews in Bulgaria “Shalom” and Central Israelite Religious Council on the occasion of the assault towards the family of the Deputy Grand Mufti Birali Birali

“Freedom of conscience, freedom of thought, and choice of religion and of religious or atheistic views shall be inviolable. The State shall assist the maintenance of tolerance and respect among believers adhering to different denominations, as well as between believers and non-believers.”

Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, Art. 31 (1)

The Organization of Jews in Bulgaria “Shalom” and Central Israelite Religious Council strongly condemn the barbaric attack towards the wife and the daughters of the Deputy Grand Mufti Birali Birali committed in front of a supermarket in the capital.

We express our most sincere sympathy to the entirely family of Birali Birali for the experienced stress and physical pain, and we show our deepest solidarity and support.

At the same time we do believe that the law enforcement authorities will make everything possible to find the perpetrators and that they will bear the entire responsibility for this criminal act.

Bulgaria is a rule of law and the right of free profession of different religions is guaranteed by the Constitution of our country. And this guarantee obliges most of all the politicians, the civil servants and the employees in the law enforcement authorities and jurisdictions to respect and to comply with these rights and freedoms of the Bulgarian citizens.

The laws of the country must be respected, the privacy and the security of the individual must be guaranteed by the law enforcement authorities and the jurisdictions must apply the law in its complete force.

Strongly condemning the concrete case once again we appeal for intolerance towards such acts of xenophobia and intolerance, as we appeal to the entire society and especially to the politicians and the leaders of the country to pay a special attention for actions related to hate speech and whipping up intolerance based on ethnicity and religion.

Dr. Alexander Oscar       Mrs. Sofia Cohen

Chairman                        Chairwoman

OJB “Shalom” CISC