Construction of mosque in Botanical – green light after three decades

Source:  Kathimerini

© Translation: Muslim Association of Greece

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In the near future the tens of thousands of Muslims living in Attica (and the visitors as well) will be able to pray at the first official place of worship that will be constructed in the capital after about two centuries. The government announced their decision settling, in fact, a pending case of three decades.

Discussions, laws, plans on paper, bureaucratic obstacles, reactions of citizens and ecclesiastic leaders, in combination with the “political cost” intercepted every attempt dealing with a social matter that was putting the respect of human rights and religious freedom to trial.

“We are very satisfied that an official place will exist. It will be a significant step for the unobstructed practice of our religious duties,” states to “K” Mr. Naim Elghandour, president of the Muslim Association of Greece.

Already, in the last months, the issue was frequented in meetings with the participation of the related factors meaning the ministries of Education, Internal Affairs, Foreign Affairs, City of Athens, Navy General Headquarters, and the Organisation for Regulating Planning of Athens.

As was decided in a meeting, the mosque will be constructed in an area of 17.000m² at the Votanikos area, where today the Maintenance Centre of Navy Vehicles exists. According to the plan, from the moment that all legal procedures will finish in order to bestow the usage of the area to the ministry of Education, it will take 6 -12 months to relocate this Navy department.

The mosque will be constructed by the expenses of the Hellenic state by the Program of Public Expenditure Fund. According to the relative law that was forwarded from 2006 by the former Minister of Education Marietta Giannakou, the building of the mosque must agree with the terms and limitations of building of this area. According to these terms, the building area should cover 839m², its entrance being from Iera Odos Avenue through to Asyrmatou Street and will be close to the church of Saint Christopher.

History

The matter of constructing a mosque in Athens was on the table for the first time since the late 30s. The discussion was forgotten after World War II began. After the change-over and particularly in the 80s, the issue was brought again by ambassadors from Muslim countries. In mid 90s the issue concerned the government again.

The negotiations between those who were concerned led to voting for law 2833 in 2000 that described the construction of a mosque and an Islamic cultural centre funded by Saudi Arabia. For this reason, the state bestowed an area at Peania, but was confronted by the citizens of the area and the deceased Archbishop Christodoulos, who did not agree that the first view of visitors landing to Greece from the new airport to be an Islamic minaret.

As the solving of the matter was not proceeding, the proposal of the former mayor (and right after Foreign Minister) Mrs. Bakoyiannis, to operate the Monastiraki mosque again that today is known as a popular art museum. Finally, after ‘fermentations’ in the internal affairs of New Democracy government the Votanicos solution was forwarded.

Associates of the former foreign minister expressed their satisfaction for the decision to proceed with the construction of the mosque.  Mrs. Bakoyiannis was always in favor of the construction of a mosque. She played a significant role in choosing the place and to the disengagement of the issue from the ‘protection’ of foreign interests,” they state at “K” associates of the former minister. In 2006, the minister of Education Mrs. Giannakou presented the existing law that describes the construction of a mosque with funds from the Hellenic state.

By Nikos Papachristou

Translated by Anna Stamou