Agreement of 9 July 2007 on the legal status of the Islamic community in the Republic of Slovenia

On the basis of Article 21 of the Religious Freedom Act (Offic. Gaz. of the RS, no. 14/2007) the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Islamic Community in the Republic of Slovenia conclude the following :

Agreement on the legal status of the Islamic community in the Republic of Slovenia

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Islamic Community in the Republic of Slovenia (hereinafter : the Islamic Community) have agreed as follows :

1. Freedom of operation of the Islamic community

The Islamic Community shall operate freely and autonomously according to the rules of its internal organisation, which comply with the constitutional and legal order of the Republic of Slovenia as well as the values and principles of a free and democratic society.

2. Legal personality of the Islamic community

The Islamic Community is a legal entity of private law according to the law regulating the status of religious communities.
Legal entities of private law may also be institutions with a head office in the Republic of Slovenia operating within the Islamic Community (component parts) that are provided such personality based on the rules of internal organisation of the Islamic Community. The component parts of the Islamic Community shall be entitled to obtain their own legal personality. They shall obtain a legal personality on the basis of a previous confirmation of the Islamic Community.
Legal entities of the Islamic Community may in accordance with the law of the Republic of Slovenia acquire title rights and other rights in rem in real estate and movable property.

3. Freedom of organisation and conduct of religious and educational activity, and jurisdiction

The Islamic Community is under the constitutional and legal order of the Republic of Slovenia provided the freedom of worship, religious instructions and all other activities.
In line with the constitutional and legal order of the Republic of Slovenia, the Islamic Community shall organise religious ceremonies also outside the premises of the religious community, as well as other public religious gatherings.

4. Freedom of forming structures of the Islamic community and appointing persons in charge of them

The establishment, alteration and cancellation of institutions referred to in Article 2, paragraph 2 herein falls within the competence of the Islamic Community according to the rules of internal organisation.
The competent bodies of the Islamic Community shall in line with the rules of internal organisation set up services and bodies of the Islamic Community.
The Islamic Community and its bodies shall have exclusive competence over the appointment, discharge, resignation and reassignment of religious workers and officers of the Islamic Community.

5. Freedom of establishing and maintaining contacts

The Islamic Community and all its legal entities referred to in Article 2, paragraph 2 herein and their representatives may freely maintain contacts with the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They may also freely establish and maintain contacts as well as co-operate with Islamic or other institutions, organisations, communities, legal entities and natural persons, either in the Republic of Slovenia or elsewhere in the world.
The Islamic Community is traditionally connected with the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

6. Freedom of access to public media and establishment of own media

The Islamic Community shall have equal freedom, conditions and rights to establish and own public media as other legal entities in the Republic of Slovenia.
The Islamic Community shall have equal possibility of access to public and other media as other legal entities.

7. Freedom of creating associations

Legal entities of the Islamic Community may in line with the law of the Republic of Slovenia create associations.
Pursuant to the law of the Republic of Slovenia, the members of the Islamic Community may freely create their own associations with the purposes and goals related to the activities of the Islamic Community, and may freely and publicly operate within them.
The Islamic Community and its legal entities may establish foundations, set up and functioning in line with the law of the Republic of Slovenia.

8. Freedom of establishing educational institutions

Pursuant to the constitutional and legal order of the Republic of Slovenia, the Islamic Community is entitled to establish educational institutions, secondary school and university students’ halls of residence and other similar institutions and in them freely implement educational activities according to its Articles of Association.
The State shall support these institutions under equal conditions as other similar private institutions.
The status of secondary school and university students and pupils of these institutions is equal to that of secondary school and university students and pupils of other public institutions.

9. Preserving historical and cultural heritage

The competent national bodies and bodies of the Islamic Community shall according to sectoral regulations co-operate to preserve and maintain cultural monuments and other cultural property and archives, owned by the State or the Islamic Community, related to the Islamic Community.
In line with the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia, the Islamic Community shall have the right to build and maintain premises and buildings for worship services, other religious ceremonies and gatherings, and shall be entitled to free access to these premises and buildings.

10. General rights and religious activities in hospitals, nursing homes, the armed forces, the police and special institutions

The Republic of Slovenia provides for comprehensive observance of the religious freedom of individuals and groups in hospitals, health resorts, prisons, military barracks and other institutions where the movement of the persons present is limited or prevented.
In these institutions the Islamic Community is entitled to provide religious spiritual care according to the sectoral regulations.

11. Equation of Islamic charity organisations with other charity organisations

The Islamic Community and its legal entities may in accordance with the constitutional and legal order of the Republic of Slovenia establish institutions and organisations engaged in charity work and social solidarity.
Charity and social Islamic institutions and organisations engaged in charity work and social solidarity, organised in line with the Slovenian legislation, shall be in terms of relief, assistance and other incentive measures equal to other similar institutions in the country.

Nadžad Grabus, Grand Mufti and President of the Meshihat of the Islamic community in the Republic of Slovenia.
Dr. Lovro Šturm, Chairman of the Committee of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Solving Open Issues of Religious Communities.

Made this 9th day of July 2007 in Ljubljana.

(Translation : Government of the Republic of Slovenia, Office for Religious Communities)