Head of Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina Husein Kavazovic will not organise traditional Eid reception this year and has donated the funds aimed for this purpose to Sarajevo's library for blind and visually impaired persons, the Mina news agency reported.

“It is an old custom that once the Eid prayer is over, dignitaries from the political, public, cultural life as well as ordinary people gather at the Grand Mufti's residence and congratulate the Eid. We used to organise both the congratulatory ceremony and the reception,” said head of the Islamic Community's office for social care Ibrahim Malanovic, who handed over the donation.

In addition to money, the donation also included special gifts.

“This is a specific time, the time of Ramadan, when we need to be close to each other and, of course, have a special feeling for those in need,” he stressed.

Sakib Pleh, the library director, thanked for the donation, adding that this comes at a special moment when the library employees enter the third month with no salaries.

“I must say that the founder of this library is the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina has never taken over the founding rights. This is why we are in the situation where we are waiting for our salary for several months until budgets are adopted, and where the state stops the Grand Mufti i.e. Islamic Community appears,” said Pleh.

Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina will observe Eid-al-Fitr on Friday, April 21, after the end of the month of Ramadan.