Islam in Moldova

There is a small community of Muslims in Moldova, numbering several thousand.[2]

Islam in Europe
by percentage of country population[1]
  90–100%
  70–80%
 Kazakhstan
  50–70%
  30–50%
 North Macedonia
  10–20%
  5–10%
  4–5%
  2–4%
  1–2%
  < 1%

In 2005, the Spiritual Organisation of Muslims in Moldova headed by Talgat Masaev was denied registration despite the appeal of the Mission to Moldova of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.[3]

In March 2011, the Islamic League of Moldova (Liga Islamica din Moldova), an NGO representing Moldova's Muslims, was registered by the Moldovan Justice Ministry as the first legally recognized Muslim association in Moldova. It had applied for registration in 2008.[4]

The Moldovan Orthodox Church opposed the recognition of Islam and joined protests with conservative groups.[5]

As of 2011, officially there were just 2,000 Muslims in Moldova. But the Islamic League of Moldova head Sergiu Sochirca said the number was closer to 17,000, though not all of them were registered as Muslims due to suppression of Islam in the past.[6]

Demographics

There are 2,009 Muslims living in Moldova, according to the 2014 Republic of Moldova Census, up from 1,667 Muslims according to the 2004 Census. [7] Most of the Muslims live in Chişinău (985 people), followed by Găgăuzia (176 people), Bălţi (76 people), Anenii Noi (68 people) and Cahul (54 people).

Notes
  1. "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050". Pew Research Center. 12 April 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  2. US department of state
  3. Forum 18 Search/Archive
  4. Moldovan Muslim Leader 'Disappointed' By Anti-Islamic Remarks
  5. Conservatives Angered By Moldova's Recognition Of Muslims
  6. Moldova's Government Considers Revoking its Formal Recognition of Islam
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.