The Islamic mosque in Botanikos district of Athens is expected to be inaugurated on the last day of Ramadan on June 5, 2019. The first and only public mosque in Greece was originally scheduled to be in operation in March, then in …May.
It was apparently the bad weather that hindered the construction company to deliver in time, the first official Islamic mosque in the Greek capital, news website news247.gr has learned.
Citing sources, the website notes that the very last deadline for the operation of the mosque is on the 5th or the 6th of June. the last prayer of Ramadan should not be held at Syntagma and other squares of Athens but in the new mosque.
The completion of the construction is not the only problem that has led to delays, though. Pending is still the collection of signatures for the Presidential Decree for the operation of the mosque, as well as recruitment of staff.
It is characteristic that while the Imam has already been selected, due to the non-signing of the Presidential Decree, his recruitment cannot be officially announced and he cannot start to perform his duties.
The Imam is reportedly, a Sunni, of Moroccan origin. He came to Greece as economic migrants 25 years ago. He is 49 years old and has acquired Greek citizenship.
The one-million-euro mosque funded by the Greek state has no minaret.
