The attempts to change the function of “Kurshum mosque” in Karlovo do not stop

At the beginning of this week, on October 15, 2018, archaeologists from the National Archaeological Institute at BAS began new excavationsin “Kurshum mosque” in Karlovo. This happened on the order of the Ministry of Culture and a 10-day permit for the excavations, issued by the Municipality of Karlovo.

“We were shocked by the news that “Kurshum mosque” is being excavated again! What we have understood from the archaeologists at the site is that the current archaeological excavations in the Muslim historical temple are made in order its status to be changed from a “cultural monument of a local importance” to a “cultural monument of a national importance”. – the Regional Mufti of Plovdiv Taner Veli said for Grandmufti.bg. And this change of the status is to receive a better EU funding under different EU programs.

Ongoing excavations in “Kurshum mosque” in Karlovo

According to the Regional Mufti of Plovdiv the undertaken actions in the building of the historical “Kurshum mosque” harmthe Muslim Denomination in Bulgaria. 

“The Muslim Denomination claims ownership of this building and in this sense we do not approve what is going on at the moment. Neither Regional Mufti’s Office – Plovdiv, nor the Muslim Denomination were ever informed about the undertaken new excavations at all though it has claims about the ownership” – Taner Veli deplores.

We would like to recall that the trial for the restoration of the ownership of the waqf estate “Kurshum mosque” in Karlovo of the Muslim Denomination has been going on for years. The case is not yet finally resolved, but during the autumn of 2013 Regional Court – Plovdiv restored the ownership of the estate to the Muslim Denomination. This was the decision at a first instance. While in May 2015 the Court of Appeal – Plovdiv decides otherwise so that the trial still continues and is accompanied by a great public tension.

There were a number of protests – on the one hand these were the protests against the claim of the Mufti’s Office, led by the Mayor of Karlovo Dr. Emil Kabaivanov. On the initiative of the Municipality there was organized also a petition against this claim.

On the other hand during the summer of 2015 Grand Mufti’s Office also held a national protest under the motto “Stop the Destruction of Mosques in European Bulgaria”.  Even then in order to stop the attempts of the Muslim Denomination to return its ownership of the estate, an order was issued for beginning of archaeological excavations in the mosque.

It is a fact that with the new excavations in the historical Muslim temple these attempts still continue, although the fate of “Kurshum mosque” in Karlovo remains unclear. What is known for sure is that it has more than five-century old history – it was built during the far 1485 on the order of the local governor Karlazade Ali Bey. For a great regret more than a century the mosque does not function as a temple and the attempts to change its purpose – it is obvious – do not stop.

Author: L. Chausheva