(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The northern German city of Hamburg has recognized Muslim religious holidays, in a major achievement for the sizable community in the European country.
DITIB and two other Muslim groups signed agreement with Hamburg authorities to recognize Muslim holidays.
This is "a historic day for Hamburg, but also for Germany," Zekeriya Altug, chairman of the Hamburg association of the Turkish-Islamic association DITIB, said.
Under the deal, authorities will recognize `Eid Al-Fitr, `Eid Al-Adha, and the Day of Ashura as official holidays.
Among signatories are also the council of Islamic communities (Shura) and the Federation of Islamic Cultural Centres. (VIKZ).
The agreement still awaits final approval by Hamburg's civic parliament, in which Scholz's centre-left Social Democrats hold a majority.
The opposition Christian Democrats and Greens have already welcomed the accord.
Hamburg is home to 150,000 Muslims.
Germany has between 3.8 and 4.3 million Muslims, making up some 5 percent of the total 82-million-population, according to government-commissioned studies.
He said prior to the agreement, it was up to employers to decide whether to grant Muslims religious days off.
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21 November 2012 - 11:00
News ID: 366568
The northern German city of Hamburg has recognized Muslim religious holidays, in a major achievement for the sizable community in the European country.
