Official meeting between the US Ambassador to Bulgaria Eric Rubin and the Grand Mufti Dr. Mustafa Hadzhi

The Ambassador of the United States of America to Bulgaria Eric Rubin visited Grand Mufti’s office in the capital and held an official meeting with the Grand Mufti of the Muslims in the Republic of Bulgaria Dr. Mustafa Hadzhi. Reason for the meeting was the prepared Bill on the Religious Denominations and the adopted at first reading amendments the last week.

Within the official conversation they discussed some aspects of the voted amendments. The Grand Mufti Dr. Mustafa Hadzhi shared the concerns of the Muslim community in Bulgaria with regard to this. He expressed his objections related to the voted at first reading restriction for foreign funding of the religious denominations. The Mufti also added that it would be fair if the small religious denominations in our country the followers of which are less than 1 % also to receive a state subsidy. During the meeting were also discussed other concerns on behalf of the Muslim Denomination related to the voted amendments.

We would like to recall that during the recent days Grand Mufti’s Office initiated a number of official meetings with senior officials in connection with the adopted on October 11 this year at first reading amendments to the Law on the Religious Denominations. This included also a meeting of the Grand Mufti Dr. Mustafa Hadzhi with the Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and with the Minister of Education Krasimir Valchev.

The Muslim Denomination expects a working group to be established, where to be invited for participation also representatives of the different religious denominations in Bulgaria, so that the texts to be revised before their final voting.