Bulgaria: EMU president Abu Bakr Rieger spoke on 29th August during a conference of Imams
(EMU) – EMU president Abu Bakr Rieger attended on 29th August 2015 a national conference of Bulgarian Imams in Shumen. The city was a traditional centre for Ottoman Muslims in the country. The Muslim community of Bulgaria is comprised of several elements: Turkish speakers, Slavonic Pomaks and a growing number of Muslims with Roma background.
Abu Bakr Rieger’s discourse dealt with many issues surrounding the question of Islam in Europe. Especially, he emphasised the important of solidarity for the Europan Muslims and their positive attitude towards Europe. “the case of Bulgaria is a concise prove that Islam always has been part of Europe.” According to Rieger, the country is an “import piece of the puzzle” for the understanding of Islam in this place. The EMU president spoke in front of 120 Imams and Muslim scholars.
Additionally to the conference, Abu Bakr Rieger visited the Muslim Roma community in Bulgaria. There, he took the opportunity to get an inside into their situation.
