Green light for mosque in Athens

Source: Ethnos

© Translation: Muslim Association of Greece

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

Fifteen days before the arrival of the Turkish Prime Minister T. Erdogan in Athens, the Greek parliament hasted yesterday to announce the “direct building of the Mosque in Athens” officially, an issue that Mr. Erdogan has, repeatedly and systematically, raised in the past years, claiming the role of “protector” of all Muslims who reside and work in Greece. 

This hasty announcement of the parliament raises many questions, since, though correct at its base, creates negative impressions regarding the time chosen for the announcement of the building of the mosque, since it will be regarded as pleasing the firm demand of Mr. Erdogan which he raised systematically without any legalization.

The Islamic temple will be built in Votanikos, though, as it seems, without the traditional tall minaret.

The Minister of Education, Anna Diamandopoulou, made the relative announcement yesterday, during the Cabinet.  While in an announcement by the government spokesman Giorgos Petalotis, it is noted that the building will be immediate, the mosque will have a capacity of approximately 500 individuals, it will be built on part of the land where the Navy Fort is, in a way that it will be organically integrated into a wider green environment.

Also, a seven-member board is being appointed, of whom, two are proposed by recognized, reputable Muslim societies, while five are Greek civil servants.

Asked by “Ethnos” about the developments and mainly the fact that the mosque would not have a minaret, the president of the Muslim Association of Greece, Mr. Naim Elghandour, said, “We said from the beginning that we do not want to get in dissociation with the Church and we told them that the mosque will not be alienated from the local architecture. Actually, in our discussions with the relevant bodies, we showed them pictures from the Mosque in Granada which resembles the architecture of Christian churches.”

Paraskevi Vonatsou

Translated by Amir Arvanitis