Greece orders Muslim prayer hall to shut down near Athens

·

Greece has ordered one of the oldest Muslim prayer halls in the greater Athens metropolitan area to shut down.

Saying the facility lacks a license to operate, the Education and Religious Affairs Ministry gave a 15-day notice to clear the premises in Piraeus, a port city just 12 kilometres from the Athens city centre.

“We are sad to announce that we received a closure order for one of the oldest prayer halls of the capital … without any chance of negotiating with the ministry,” said the Muslim Association of Greece in a press release.

eng/ελλ/عربيToday's Press Release concerning the immediate closing of a historic prayer hall in Athens after 31 years…

Posted by Muslim Association of Greece(MAG) Μουσουλμανική Ένωση Ελλάδος (ΜΕΕ) on Tuesday, 23 June 2020

The Al Andalus prayer hall has been operating since 1989, according to the association.

“We believe that acceptance and recognition is evolving in society,” said the press release. “That is why we consider this unexpected closing a symbolic act on behalf of the government that wants to suppress religious expression when it is not coming from the predominant religion.”

Greece has a sizeable Muslim population, including a quarter-million Muslims in metropolitan Athens.

Last June, after years of delays, a new mosque nominally opened in Athens, but so far it lacks an imam, so it is not yet open for worship, leaving Athens the only capital in Europe without an official mosque.

In December, state officials said three more months were needed to appoint new personnel and make necessary arrangements for the mosque, set to accommodate 350 worshippers.

Sourced By: AA

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Labor’s Helen Politis elected Deputy Mayor of Merri-bek City Council

Labor's Helen Politis has been elected as Deputy Mayor of Merri-bek, marking a significant step for the seasoned community advocate.

Mario Christodoulou to executive produce ABC’s Media Watch

Award-winning investigative reporter Mario Christodoulou will become executive producer on the ABC's Media Watch program.

Socialist PASOK becomes Greece’s main opposition party as SYRIZA collapses

Left-wing Syriza party has lost its position as Greece's main opposition group after a wave of defections on Thursday, November 21.

80-year-old sole resident of Kinaros island gifted donkey as a companion

The sole resident of Greece's remote Kinaros island - 80-year-old Mrs Rinio - recently received an unexpected gift in the form of a donkey.

Thanasi Kokkinakis upset gives Australia shock Davis Cup win over US

A nail-biting win for Thanasi Kokkinakis has led Australia into the semi-finals of the Davis Cup in Spain.

You May Also Like

Jon Adgemis’ Public Hospitality Group lists first pub for sale amid mounting debt

The owner of Public Hospitality Group Jon Adgemis has listed his first pub on the market, following the collapse of his debt deal.

Australia and New Zealand secure victory in bid to host the 2023 Women’s World Cup

Australia and New Zealand, in a joint bid labelled "As One 2023", have won the historic bid to host the 2023 Women's World Cup.

Modern Greek language program at Northcote High School at risk of being discontinued

Northcote High School's Modern Greek language is at risk of being discontinued due to the low number of students taking the subject.