Update: obstructions again to the mosque and cemetery

Source:  Ethnos.gr

© Translation Muslim Association of Greece

Translated by Elena Nikolova-Pouliasi

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

The subject that concerns the Muslims of Athens remains inactive and the construction of the mosque and cemetery still remain frozen despite the reassurance of the people responsible for that matter.

A deed between the Church and the State ‘for concession to use’ is the only thing that remains to be solved for the cemetery to start operating. The representatives of the Muslims say that the lack of coordination causes obstruction. The president of the Muslim Association of Greece, Mr. Naim Elghandour, expresses his concern while speaking with the ‘Ethnos’ newspaper.

Mr. Elghandour, on the topic of Shisto area, which was given by the Church of Greece and afterwards was considered inappropriate notes, “The proceedings are stuck again. We have received government reassurance that they are good intentions but again the issue is not proceeding.  Last time we were told that we need to fill the space. We are willing voluntarily to take this project and fill the space!”

In Shisto, the Greek Church originally gave 30 acres of land for the cemetery, but the land was found inappropriate because it was bedrock and afterwards was given another land in the same area. Again the issue is not progressing.

“It is necessary to have several acres of land, as according to the Islamic religion three is digging, so it takes considerable space,” says Mr. Elghandour.

Moreover, to complete the process it is necessary to make an arrangement for the cemetery to be classified as inter-municipal, and therefore to be used by all Muslims in Athens.

However, the issue of the mosque seems to be frozen. Recently the move of the Navy base from Votanico was estimated to 2.5 million euros by the Ministry of Defence.  In the same area of Votanicos there have been 17 acres in total allocated for the construction of the mosque.

According to reports, in a meeting held last Friday by the secretary of the Ministry of Education, Thalia Dragona, and the representatives of the Muslim Association of Greece, there were assurances regarding the government intention of the construction. But there we mentioned ‘bureaucratic reasons’ causing the obstruction.

“It is disappointing to know that the barriers for the construction are the lack of coordination between relevant institutions of the state,” says Mr. Elghandour to Ethnos newspaper who recalls that the relevant 15 million allocated have been disbursed.

According to those sources, the Muslims have pointed out another problem regarding an official Imam in Athens, preferably a university professor, who will call for prayer and teach the Quran in order to avoid any misinterpretations from people who have no formal approval or understanding. However, the Ministry of Education does not seem positively supportive to make such a decision.

In most cases, the dead are transported to Xanthi and Komotini.

Odyssey is the burrier of Muslims in Athens

The Muslim burial in Athens is an odyssey.  In some cases the Egyptian Embassy of Athens takes responsibility to pay for the cost to transfer the body to Egypt. But in most cases the dead are transferred in Xanthi and Komitini where they are Islamic cemeteries to be buried, away from their families.

In Athens, on average of 10 Muslims die every month. The way that Muslims are buried is special, as the dead person is washed and taken care as a living body, then it is shrouded and buried in the ground without a coffin.

At least 30 spaces operate in Athens as informal mosques. In some cases they have been given penalty charges for the misuse of their premises. The prayer is performed by a Muslim with some Islamic knowledge, but there is no official imam. Sometimes they are recognised imams who visit Greece and perform prayers but that is done occasionally. There are two public prayers organised per year in Athens. 

Friday Vonatsou