Evidence for international courts

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά / عربي

Source: Enet

This is a photo from material that was saved and sent to “Eleftherotypia”. It shows Israeli soldiers with the guns in their hands on Greek flag cargo ship “Eleftheri Mesogeios” (Free Mediterranean) while they are arresting an activist, professor Vangelis Pissias.

The initative “A Ship to Gaza” stated at “E” that the whole material and the photograph will be used as evidence at international courts.

The initiative addresses a question to the Greek government: “What is Netaniahou doing in Greece? He is accountable both to UN and to his country.”

Official report on the flotilla campaign by IHH

Below is the official report for the Mavi Marmara ship to Gaza campaign.  I’m glad to see that the IHH from Turkey has officially documented all of the information, photos and statistics for the Flotilla campaign. 

Take a look:

Download: 8.03MB

(May take a little time to download the report. )

 

Ηταν προετοιμασμένοι για όλα

Source:  TA NEA

Οι εθελοντές ήταν σε επιφυλακή. Οι στιγμές λίγο πριν από την επίθεση, σύμφωνα με μαρτυρίες

ΡΕΠΟΡΤΑΖ: Στέλιος Βραδέλης Ζωή Λιάκα

«Ισραηλινοί κομάντος μόλις κατέβηκαν στο κατάστρωμα του τουρκικού πλοίου, του “Μavi Μarmara”. Ακούγονται πυροβολισμοί. Τώρα έφτασαν και σε εμάς…». Η φωνή του Τάκη Πολίτη, εθελοντή που επέβαινε μαζί με 21 ακόμη Ελληνες, 15 ακτιβιστές και 5 μέλη του πληρώματος στο φορτηγό πλοίο «Ελεύθερη Μεσόγειος», ήταν η τελευταία που έφτασε στο συντονιστικό κέντρο της ελληνικής αποστολής. Στη συνέχεια σιωπή.

«Παγώσαμε όλοι μας. Ξαφνικά χάθηκε κάθε επικοινωνία με τους 38 Ελληνες που βρισκόταν πάνω στα πλοία», περιγράφει ο Γιάννης Σηφακάκης, μέλος της συντονιστικής επιτροπής. Παρά τις διαρκείς προσπάθειες της Αθήνας, τα δύο δορυφορικά τηλέφωνα που διέθεταν τα μέλη της ελληνικής αποστολής είχαν νεκρώσει, όπως και όλες οι επικοινωνίες από τα πλοία. Στο ελληνικό πλοίο είχαν φορτωθεί, σύμφωνα με τους διοργανωτές της αποστολής, προκατασκευασμένα σπίτια, ξυλεία, αυτοκινούμενα αμαξίδια για ανάπηρους, οικοδομικά υλικά, ένα πλήρως εξοπλισμένο οδοντιατρείο, συσκευές αφαλάτωσης.

«Με τον Ναΐμ μίλησα τελευταία φορά λίγο πριν από τα μεσάνυχτα. Μου είπε πως είχαν καταφέρει να αποπλεύσουν από την Κύπρο και πως το πρωί θα μου μιλούσε από τη Γάζα. Στην αποστολή επικρατούσε ενθουσιασμός που βρίσκονταν στην τελική ευθεία για την επίτευξη του σκοπού τους. Εκείνη την ώρα δεν είχαν εμφανιστεί ακόμη οι Ισραηλινοί. Ανησυχία βέβαια υπήρχε για τυχόν ενέργειές τους, όπως και δυστυχώς έγινε και για τον λόγο αυτόν είχε γίνει σύσταση να βρίσκονται τα μέλη της αποστολής σε διαρκή επιφυλακή», περιγράφει στα «ΝΕΑ» η κ. Αννα Στάμου, μέλος της ελληνικής συντονιστικής επιτροπής και σύζυγος του Ναΐμ Ελγαντούρ που βρισκόταν στο πλοίο «Ελεύθερη Μεσόγειος».

Το «στρατηγείο»
Το πλοίο «Μavi Μarmara»- στο οποίο, σύμφωνα με ισραηλινές πηγές, υπήρξαν 9 νεκροί και δεκάδες τραυματίες ύστερα από την επέμβαση των ισραηλινών δυνάμεων- ήταν ουσιαστικά το «στρατηγείο» της αποστολής. Οι χώροι του είχαν μετατραπεί ώστε να μεταδίδεται εικόνα και ήχος από την αποστολή μέσω των 60 δημοσιογράφων από πολλές ευρωπαϊκές και αραβικές χώρες που είχαν επιβιβαστεί σε αυτό.

Στο πλοίο, στο οποίο επέβαιναν συνολικά 600 άτομα, εθελοντές και πλήρωμα, βρίσκονταν την ώρα της επίθεσης και δύο Ελληνες, ο ακτιβιστής Δημήτρης Πλειώνης και ο δημοσιογράφος Αρης Χατζηστεφάνου.

Λίγη ώρα προτού αρχίσει η δολοφονική επίθεση των ισραηλινών δυνάμεων, ο Δημήτρης Πλειώνης έστειλε δύο e-mail σε φίλους του που παρακολουθούσαν με αγωνία τις εξελίξεις γύρω από τη νηοπομπή, ύστερα από τα προβλήματα που ανέκυψαν στην Κύπρο. Τα μηνύματα αυτά δημοσιεύθηκαν στην ιστοσελίδα protagon.gr. Οπως προκύπτει ήδη από το πρώτο e-mail, οι εθελοντές στο πλοίο ήταν προετοιμασμένοι ακόμη και για μια καταδρομική επίθεση των Ισραηλινών στα διεθνή ύδατα, όπως και έγινε. Στο δεύτερο μήνυμά του, στις 4.14 τα ξημερώματα (ώρα Ελλάδας) ο Δημήτρης Πλειώνης, ελάχιστα λεπτά προτού αρχίσει η δολοφονική επίθεση, περιγράφει την κατάσταση που είχε διαμορφωθεί γύρω από το τουρκικό πλοίο. «Εδώ και μιάμιση ώρα έχουν αρχίσει οι απειλές του Ισραηλινού Ναυτικού. Απευθύνονται σε κάθε πλοίο ξεχωριστά και το καλούν να αλλάξει πορεία γιατί κατευθύνεται σε πολεμική ζώνη και θα φέρει όλες τις συνέπειες των πράξεών του θέτοντας σε κίνδυνο το πλοίο και τους επιβάτες του. Μας ενημερώνουν ότι έχουν δικαίωμα να ανέβουν στο πλοίο μας. Στο “Μavi Μarmara” έχουν μοιράσει σωσίβια σε όλους και χτενίζουν τη γύρω περιοχή με προβολείς».

«ΑΡΧΙΣΑΝ ΟΙ ΑΠΕΙΛΕΣ»

«Εχουν αρχίσει οι απειλές. Μας ενημερώνουν ότι μπορούν να ανέβουν στο πλοίο. Στο “Μavi Μarmara ” μοίρασαν σωσίβια…»

Πώς στήθηκε το «Ενα καράβι για τη Γάζα»

«Η ΑΡΧΗ έγινε από την Καλιφόρνια, όταν ακτιβιστές του ΙSΜ (Διεθνές Κίνημα Αλληλεγγύης) δημιούργησαν το Free Gaza Μovement το 2006. Ηρθαν σε επαφή μαζί μας και μας ζήτησαν να τους βοηθήσουμε για να βρουν δυο πλοία για να προχωρήσουν το εγχείρημά τους, πράγμα που έγινε το 2008».

Ο κ. Πέτρος Γιώτης είναι εκ των ιδρυτικών μελών της ανθρωπιστικής οργάνωσης «Ενα καράβι για την Γάζα» που αν και δραστηριοποιείται ήδη από το 2006, μόλις τον περασμένο Ιανουάριο απέκτησε επίσημο χαρακτήρα. Οπως λέει, το «”Ενα καράβι για τη Γάζα” άρχισε να αποκτά μέλη σε σχεδόν όλες της πόλεις της Ελλάδας. Οι άνθρωποι που σήμερα είναι μέλη της επιτροπής “Ενα καράβι για τη Γάζα” άρχισαν να αναλαμβάνουν συντονισμένες πρωτοβουλίες για να μαζέψουν χρήματα για τα δύο καΐκια τα οποία τον Αύγουστο του 2008 έσπασαν, συμβολικά, τον αποκλεισμό της Γάζας. Από τότε και αφού άρχισαν να γίνονται και άλλες ανάλογες απόπειρες αποφασίσαμε να κάνουμε κάτι πιο συντονισμένο. Συγκεντρώσαμε περίπου 140.000

ευρώ- με τη βοήθεια και των Σουηδών οι οποίοι μετέχουν στην πρωτοβουλία “Free Gaza”. Ετσι καταφέραμε να αγοράσουμε το φορτηγό “Ελεύθερη Μεσόγειος”».

«Ματωμένη» διαδήλωση στην Αθήνα
ΡΕΠΟΡΤΑΖ: Λία Νεσφυγέ

ΜΕ ΣΚΛΗΡΕΣ ΣΥΓΚΡΟΥΣΕΙΣ στην Κηφισίας, οδομαχίες και ανθρωποκυνηγητό στους δρόμους γύρω από την ισραηλινή πρεσβεία που πνίγηκαν στα δακρυγόνα, σημαδεύθηκε η συγκέντρωση διαμαρτυρίας- καταδίκης για τα αιματηρά γεγονότα στα πλοία της διεθνούς αποστολής. Από τις οδομαχίες που διήρκεσαν αρκετή ώρα κατά μήκος της Κηφισίας μέχρι την Πανόρμου και τον κόμβο των Αμπελοκήπων, τραυματίσθηκαν διαδηλωτές ενώ έγιναν προσαγωγές από την Αστυνομία.

Περισσότεροι από 2.000 πολίτες κάθε ηλικίας, ακόμα και παιδιά, συγκεντρώθηκαν από νωρίς χθες το απόγευμα στη λεωφόρο Κηφισίας στο ύψος της ισραηλινής πρεσβείας διαδηλώνοντας την αγανάκτησή τους για τα βίαια γεγονότα. Εντονη ήταν η παρουσία μελών της παλαιστινιακής κοινότητας που φώναζαν συνθήματα. Περίπου την ίδια ώρα συγκεντρώσεις διαμαρτυρίας έγιναν στη Θεσσαλονίκη, τα Χανιά, τα Γιάννινα και άλλες πόλεις.

Στην Αθήνα, με κεντρικό σύνθημα «Κάτω τα χέρια από τη Γάζα», διαδηλωτές φορώντας οι περισσότεροι παλαιστινιακές μαντίλες, «πολιόρκησαν» την πρεσβεία που βρισκόταν σε ασφυκτικό αστυνομικό κλοιό.

Τα σοβαρά επεισόδια άρχισαν όταν μια μικρή ομάδα- γύρω στους 20 διαδηλωτές- επιχείρησαν να περάσουν από την οδό Μουσών και να πλησιάσουν στην ισραηλινή πρεσβεία. Οι περισσότεροι διαδηλωτές άρχισαν να υποχωρούν στα στενά της οδού Αδριανού και σε άλλους παράλληλους δρόμους, όπου ακολούθησε κυνηγητό και έπεσαν δακρυγόνα.

——————————

More coverage:

Τα… SOS των Ελλήνων από το πλοίο της φρίκης!
Yunanistan’dan Türk halkına taziye mesajı (Özel)

Ship to Gaza video update – May 28, 2010

Click on the photo to watch the video.

 

For live updates and videos, visit http://digitalship.shiptogaza.gr.

Erdogan visits Greece on a Friday but no mosque

Source:  Today’s Zaman (Turkey News)

‘Mosque in Athens a bitter story, but hopefully one with a happy ending’

Athens is the only European capital that does not have a mosque — although it does have a Muslim population of around 700,000. Elghandour, a naturalized Egyptian Greek, and his wife, Anna Stamou, say that like other Muslims in Athens, they pray in garages, shops and homes, but they are hoping that within a couple of years, they will be able to pray in a real mosque.

“[Prime Minister Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan’s visit coincided with Friday [the day of Muslim congregational prayer], but there’s no place to worship here,” Elghandour said, noting that the Greek administration’s announcement that a mosque would be constructed came shortly before Erdoğan’s visit, but that soon after this announcement, debates began over whether or not it would have a minaret.

“To those who propose a minaret-less mosque, we ask whether it would do to have a church without a steeple. But I’m sure that we’ll also overcome this problem,” he said. Elghandour said that the mosque to be built will be constructed in a style that is in harmony with Athenian architecture. “We’ll explain that the mosque will not affect the city’s overall silhouette, and we’ll convince the public. The Athenian public is slowly getting used to Islam, and they’ll also get used to the idea of a mosque.”

The fact that Athens has a Muslim minority but no mosque has to do both with Greece’s slow-moving bureaucracy and the memory of the Ottoman years. More urgently than a mosque, the Muslims of this city need a cemetery; there had once been a plan to create one on land allocated to the Muslim community by a church, but as the spot was on a cliff it wasn’t suitable for usage as a cemetery. Now, however, a new location is being prepared to be a cemetery, Elghandour said.

“The church allocated some land in the town of Shisto. We’ll convert it to a cemetery. Until now, our Muslim dead were sent to their home countries or to cemeteries in Thrace.”

According to Elghandour, the turning point in the story of Athens’ mosque-to-be was 2006, when a law went into effect mandating the construction of a mosque using public funds.

“The issue of the construction of a mosque in Athens first came to the agenda in the late 1930s, but was forgotten when World War II emerged. Then in the 1980s, the ambassadors of Arab nations in Athens began pressuring for a mosque to be built. In 2000, a law was passed for the construction of a mosque and an Islamic cultural center. But that never happened, either. As it is, we’d prefer a mosque built with Greek public funds, because that is more appropriate — and a mosque built with our money will also affect our mentality. Back then, the space allocated for this was near the airport. But the Muslims in Athens have slowly but surely made themselves accepted in this society, and outside of a few fanatics — and there are fanatics everywhere — there’s nobody left who opposes the idea of a mosque,” Elghandour relates.

Elghandour first came to Athens 40 years ago and recalls that everyone thought it was strange when he performed the Muslim prayers. “But now, I can take out my prayer rug anywhere and perform my prayers and nobody thinks it odd. The Athenian public has started reading up on Islam,” he says.

His wife, Stamou, says that it is no longer strange to be a Muslim woman in Athens, and while people used to stare at women wearing the Islamic headscarf, it’s no longer so unusual a sight. “They used to look so queerly! In fact they still wonder why I wear the headscarf and they ask questions about it, but they no longer think it strange. This doesn’t mean that we don’t encounter discrimination though — for example when on the job search, we’re not chosen sometimes because of our clothing,” she said.

The Elghandour couple are parents to two small children, Ismail and Iman. They’re not concerned about the future of their children as Muslims in Greece, however, and they don’t expect them to encounter the same difficulties their elders did. The Muslims of Athens hope to be worshipping in a new mosque within the next two years. Despite the economic crisis in Greece, they think that public funds will still be used to build a mosque, emphasizing that the necessary money for this project has already been earmarked. In order to get Athenians themselves used to the idea, they prayed the last holiday prayers at the site where the mosque is to be built.

The 17-decare plot of land set aside for the mosque is in the Votanikos district. On a section of that land, there is still an auto repair garage belonging to the Greek naval forces. The planned mosque is to be 840 square meters and big enough to hold 500 worshippers. When asked whether a mosque with a 500-person capacity isn’t just a bit small for 700,000 people, Elghandour laughs and winks in reply, “Let’s get the first one built, get the Athenian public used to a mosque — the second and third ones will be built soon after, I’m sure.”

 By AYŞE KARABAT

Alert: Construction work starts immediately – mosque in the old navy base in Votanicos

Source:  Ta Nea

© Translation: Muslim Association of Greece

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

The construction of the [official] mosque, in Votanicos, was decided yesterday by the government, announcing immediate start of construction work. The mosque will be built on land granted by the Ministry of Defence in the region of the old Navy base in Votanicos.

As announced by a government spokesman, Giorgos Petalotis, the mosques will have a capacity of about 500 people and will “organically be integrated into a larger open green space.”

“The mosque that was finally announced by the government does not respond in any way to the real needs of the Muslims living in Athens. We are 750 000 Muslims and the mosque will not fit even 1% of those who pray daily,” says the the president of the Muslim Association of Greece, Mr. Naim Elghadour, in “Ta Nea” who characterizes the decision as “a palliative which will cause only reactions of the Muslims.”

State funds

The construction of the mosque will be financed with Greek government funds through the Public Investment Program. Bids from foreign entities, governmental or otherwise, will not be accepted as announced by the government, seeking thereby to avoid possible involvement of fundamentalist organizations. Question however remains whether there are still 15 million Euros which had been approved since 2006 for its construction.

Its administrative structure, with a decision of the Minister of Education will appoint a seven member board, two members are proposed by recognized, reputable Muslim associations and five government officers. Furthermore, by the order of George Papandreou, there will be a committee to oversee the project, headed by the Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Pangalos and the participation of Ministers of Education, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Defence, Civil Protection and KED.

ΡΕΠΟΡΤΑΖ: Στέλιος Βραδέλης svradelis@dolnet.gr

Translated by Elena Nikolova-Pouliasi

.

Βενιζέλος: Πάμε για συνολική μετεγκατάσταση του Ναυτικού από τον Βοτανικό

Πηγή: Ελευθεροτυπία

Greek Defence Minister Venizelos to the Muslim community: behold the mosque and cemetery

Source:  inews.gr

© Translation Muslim Association of Greece

Διαβάστε στα Eλληνικά

 

The way has opened for the construction of the mosque in Votanikos and the creation of a Muslim cemetery in Shisto, after a meeting held between the Mayor of Athens Nikitas Kaklamanis and the Minister of National Defense Evangelos Venizelos. The problem is that the “path” will pass – if it does – through the middle of the Naval Base, cutting it essentially in two and having already caused “frustration” in the Navy, as beyond the procedural issues, the cost is also high. The Navy, of course, cannot do anything enough though they are annoyed, as it has already been agreed by Mr. Venizelos and Mr. Kaklamanis.

The two sides have also come to an agreement regarding the creation of a green park, area of 500acres, in Goudi. The Minister of National Defence has given instructions for the actions needed, as we mentioned above, the land for the construction of the mosque belongs to the Navy and the launch of solutions for both issues. If this happens then a major problem concerning the Muslim community in Athens will be solved.

We remind that discussions had taken place in 2006 as well as a year ago. Then the matter of direct implementation of governmental commitments to build mosque in Athens and a Muslim cemetery in Shisto was brought back by the Muslim Association of Greece.

The President of the Association, Naim Elghandour, had sent letters to the relevant Ministers of Interior and Education Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Aris Spiliotopoulos, requesting the immediate breakout of procedures required.

According to the information then, the president of the Association had stated that due to the obstruction of the Greek state, Muslims find the opportunity to create informal places of worship “with the difference that they do not have as central reference the harmonious coexistence of people and the good of Greece, but promote their own aspirations for their own benefit.”

For the records Mr. Naim Elghandour, the man who played a major role in the Quran story is Egyptian in origin. He lives in Greece for the past 35 years and is naturalized as Greek citizen. As he stated in an interview, “The Muslim Association of Greece is the largest Muslim union in Greece. Our members are Greek nationals, immigrants and refugees coming mainly from Arab countries. We also represent the majority of informal places of worship in Athens. In Athens today live hundreds of thousands of Muslims, from various professions and social statuses, while thousands of children study in Greek schools and universities.”

The Muslim Association states that today in Greece live roughly 1.000.000 Muslims – that is to say, 10% of the Greek population.  It is therefore understandable how important it is to resolve these issues. Particularly, regarding the creation of the first Muslim cemetery, according to information available, that particular land belongs to the Navy but is used by the Army. The municipality requested, the land to be transferred so that the first Muslim cemetery can be created as well as the installations for the combustion of dead; however they examine as an alternative the third cemetery.

Regarding the botanical area, today there operates the Central Marine Car Station, a 20 year old building. If, therefore, the area was freed, the Navy and the Ministry of National Defence have requested the payment of the relocation costs, which makes it almost unaffordable. Regarding Goudi Park, the municipality has asked the Ministry to grant them 500 acres – from the 4500 total in this particular area – so, in cooperation with the Municipality of Zografou, the creation of a single green space. According to the municipality of Athens, that will create a green belt with bicycle paths, and the execution place of Nikos Belogiannis will be designated.

 

Translated by: Elena Nikolova-Pouliasi

Group urges Muslims to avoid body scans

Source:  CBC.ca

 

An Islamic group is urging Muslim travellers to choose to be patted down by airport security rather than go through airport body scanners, a practice that it says violate religious and privacy rights.

The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) said the scanners, which produce a three-dimensional outline of a person’s naked body, are “against the teachings of Islam, natural law and all religions and cultures that stand for decency and modesty.”

“It is a violation of clear Islamic teachings that men or women be seen naked by other men and women,” the group said in a statement last week.

“The Qur’an has commanded the believers, both men and women, to cover their private parts. Human beings are urged to be modest in their dress,” the group said.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations also issued a statement of support of the FCNA’s recommendation.

The United States began using the scanners capable of detecting items hidden underneath clothing at airports as part of new security protocols put in place in the wake of the failed bombing attempt on a Detroit-bound flight on Christmas Day.

 

Canada installing scanners

Halifax imam Dr. Jamal Badawi, one of 10 Muslim scholars on the council who made the religious ruling, said the only exception to the rules of modesty are medical necessity or another emergency.

“It has to be a clear and compelling case and only to the extent that it is absolutely needed,” said Badawi. “And that doesn’t seem to apply to these scanning machines.”

Canada is also in the process of installing 44 scanners to be used on U.S.-bound passengers selected for secondary screening at Canadian airports.

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority has said the scanners would protect the privacy of the passenger, and that the officer viewing the image would do so in a separate room and never see the actual traveller.

Only people singled out for extra screening would be scanned, and they would have the option of getting a physical search instead, according to authorities on both sides of the border.

The Fiqh council, which in 2005 issued an Islamic legal ruling, or fatwa, against terrorism and religious extremism, said it appreciated the pat-down search option and recommended Muslims choose this option.

 

U.S. puts countries on watch list

Canada has not adopted the U.S. approach of requiring additional screening for anyone flying into the U.S. who is a citizen of or is travelling from any of the 14 countries deemed to be state supporters of terrorism or “of interest” to the U.S.

Most of the countries listed are predominantly Muslim, and civil liberties groups say the policy of targeting travellers from specific countries opens the door to discriminatory racial profiling.

Transport Minister John Baird has said that “100 per cent” of Canadian travellers bound for the United States could be subjected to secondary screening.

The focus on security measures stems from the failed attempt by a Nigerian man to set off a bomb on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, is accused of trying to ignite the bomb on the Northwest Airlines flight. Officials said he has told U.S. investigators he received training and instructions from al-Qaeda operatives in Yemen.

Question to the parliament for mosque and cemetery by MP Gr.Psarianos

MP of SYRIZA party, Grigoris Psarianos applied yesterday a formal question to the Parliament about the construction of the official mosque and the Muslim cemetery, as this issue seems to be forgotten once again.

Below you can read the entire question

 

 

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

Question To Ministers

• National Defense  
• Education, Life Learning and Religions
• Internal Affairs, Decentralization and Electronic Governing
• Infrastructure Transportations and Networks

 

Subject: “Construction of Muslim mosque and construction of Muslim cemetery”

The Muslim immigrants that live in our country are estimated to be about 700-800 thousand and most of them live in Attica. According to their biggest organization, the Muslim Association of Greece, despite the fact that they do not face problems with the Greek citizens, the same does not happen with the Greek State, which seems to totally ignore their community.

The proof is in the long procrastination of the Hellenic state to fulfill two major issues of the Muslim community: the construction of an official mosque and of a Muslim cemetery in the Attica region.

Today in Athens there are only unofficial praying places, about 100, and the Arabs, Pakistanis, Bangladesh and Kurds that are the majority of the Muslim immigrants. The Muslims from other nationalities pray at the places of the Arab community.

The places are undergrounds, garages, stores, some are neat and others in a miserable situation, depending on the potential of every group. Also in Athens there is not a Muslim cemetery, nor a section for Muslim burial.

Some deceased are transferred to their countries of origin, if this is possible, as it is very costly. Others have no homeland to bury [their dead] as the Palestinians.

The construction of a mosque is described in two laws. The first was by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2004 describing the construction of a worship place for the Muslims at Peania.

But this plan was abandoned after the reactions of the residents of the area and the Church as well. The second law was voted on in 2006 and described the construction of the mosque at Eleonas.

Also, according to a briefing to Muslim Association of Greece by the special Secretary of Religions Ministry when the minister was Evr.Stylianides, there was a disbursement of 15 million euro for the construction of the mosque taken by the State expenditure treasury, as the law of 2006 describes, and that the only delay was the relocation of the supermarket of the navy base from this area, something that was under the authority of the Ministry of National Defense.

With a relative question from Syriza PM Pericles Korovesis, on March 2009 to three ministries, the National Defense Minister replies that on August 2008 there had been sent to the Ministry of Education and Religions, “document that are mentioned the possible locations that the mosque can be constructed at the Navy Base of Votanikos, as well as the financial demands for relocation of the activities of the Navy to another area…”

The Ministry of National Defense and the navy headquarters are expecting the notification of the intentions from the Ministry of Religions. The Ministry of Environment and Zoning replied that “the issue of the Islamic mosque is being handled by the Ministry of Education and Religions.

And the Ministry of Education and Religions, refusing any responsibility, replies, “We are notifying you that the responsibility of the ministry lies only to the financial management of the Islamic mosque that starts after its construction.”

However, article 3 of Law 3512/2006 defines that, “the construction of the mosque will be done by the administration of Applying Educational Projects of the Ministry of Education and Religions and with expenses of the Program of State Investments.” Nevertheless the minister “washes its hands” while the first disbursement has been made.

A similar case stands with the construction of the Muslim cemetery. The Church has bestowed for this reason in 2005 a field of 30.000m² at the Shisto area. But according to the document of the ministry of internal affairs “after reservations that the Organization “Athena” expressed regarding the suitability of the place in question for the specific usage, from zoning and ground aspect, this case is reconsidered…”

After that on June of 2009 the Church states with a letter to the Minister of Environment and Zoning, Mr. Souflias, that this is a social necessity and moves to the next step. [It] bestows another field in the area and has already prepared and given the blueprint and asks the immediate response of the ministries. Until today the State has not responded.

 

Because of a multicultural Europe of today, Athens is the only European capital that has not taken care of a place of worship and burial of the Muslim population and because it is an issue of social acceptance and mutual respect  to the hundreds of thousands co-citizens, the ministers in charge are asked:

1. In which stage are the procedures for the construction of the mosque at Eleonas?
2. Which ministry is responsible for the funding of the relocation of the services of the navy that is operating in the area?
3. What happened to the 15 million euro that according to the Ministry of Education and Religions has been disbursed by the treasury for the expenses of the construction of the mosque?
4. Has a notary action been conducted between the Church and State, with which the specific field at Shisto is being bestowed for the construction of the Muslim cemetery? If not why is it delaying, while the church has all good intentions to proceed with this issue?
5. Which ministry coordinates the construction of the Muslim cemetery and when is it expected to conclude the works?

The parliamentarian that asks,

Grigoris Psarianos

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