separation of church and state in post-yugoslav societies

[Ivo Skoric]

Slovenes indeed are overly anxious that the language and culture of 
their tiny nation will be over-run by its larger Southern neighbors. 
Hence the shameful policy that rendered its non-citizen residents 
without status ('erased') in the beginning of 1990s. It is also the 
main worry expressed by the EU - very similar to Cezch republic - the 
intolerance to Albanians, Roma, and Muslim Slavs - who are there to 
clean bathrooms and wipe floors, but otherwise should keep their 
mouths shut. Of course, places in former Yugoslavia, that were under 
Ottoman Empire would have many more mosques built - but the 
obstructionism with which Slovenian administration met their Muslim 
residents desire for a mosque in Ljubljana is clearly out of place, 
and denigrates the states EU member status. I obtained this creative 
image from the protest in Ljubljana - where its Muslim residents, 
mostly owners of fast-food restaurants - threaten Slovenes with with-
holding food if they don't get their place of worship.
http://balkansnet.org/dzamija.jpg
It seems to that protest did bear fruits - the mosque will be built 
on the outskirts of Ljubljana:
http://balkansnet.org/dzamija.html

ivo

On 22 Apr 2004 at 17:30, melentie wrote:

>Of all post-Yugoslav societies only in Slovenia there is a successful
>separation of the church and state in education. Just like in the US
>or in France, the Constitution of Slovenia bans catechism from the
>classroom.

It is just in the past several years that the other ex-Yugoslav
countries started flirting with religious discourse in the
classrooms.  Macedonia I think just in 2001 (flirting with the roots 
i
guess). You are also forgetting to add Ivo that despite all good
reputation, Slovenia is in fact one of the less tolerant spaces in
ex-Yugoslavia. For example the Islamic religious community in 
Slovenia
cannot get a permit to build a mosque in Ljubljana for already 40
years, despite the high number of followers of this faith in 
Slovenia.
 From what I hear there is a planned referendum for next month in
Ljubljana but chances seem to be slim. On the other hand, I cannot
remember that we had a referendum in Skopje on the building of
mosques, and quite many new mosques just got built in the nineties.

Melentie

+---------------------- zamir-chat-list ----------------------+
The following commands may be sent to
LISTSERV at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU
To unsubscribe:  SIGNOFF   To get a help file:  HELP

questions and queries may be sent to
ZAMIR-CHAT-LIST-REQUEST at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU

Our web interface is at
http://listserv.buffalo.edu/archives/zamir-chat-list.html
+---------------------- zamir-chat-list ----------------------+
---------------------------------------------------------
Ivo Skoric
19 Baxter Street
Rutland VT 05701
802.775.7257
ivo at balkansnet.org
balkansnet.org