A Mosque in Athens for the Muslims of Greece

[Dimko-piperkata]

In spite of people like Thilo Sarrazin in Europe initiated Islam debate changed nothing.Everything goes on as before - only more absurd and even faster. In Greece, for example to the Brussels auxiliary billion (that is, by our tax dollars) now than even two mosques built with first.

While in the checkout of many bankrupt EU countries there is a gaping void for the help in the spread of Islam in Europe everywhere evident enough cash. One of the first acts after the transfer of billions of aid from Brussels was for the Greek government's announcement in 2010, in Athens for 15 million € a large to build mosque. A first (provisional) will already be completed by mid-2011, west of Athens in Elaionas on the site of an old naval base. The second (a mega-project) by 2012. That's right: The bankrupt government in Athens has been financed by the German taxpayer bailout as one of the first measures the construction of mosques in order. The Greek daily Ta Nea reported with incomprehension at the Athens decision, Pakistani and Saudi newspapers, however, were enthusiastic - only the German and Austrian tax payers have experienced so far nothing about what happened with some of the money they make available. Earlier, in the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights together with the European Commission expressed concern about the fact that tens of thousands of illegal immigrants living in the greater Athens area from Islamic States (mainly Iraqis, Egyptians, Pakistanis and Afghans) in Athens still do not have their own mosque. The Athenian government was forced, under pressure from Brussels commit to large Muslims a 1.7 hectare site for the mosque to write, to take over the planning and construction costs and future maintenance of the mosque and the salary to deny the prayer leader. Everywhere in Greece, the protest is growing against this generosity, for the same time forcing the EU and the IMF, the Greek Government to strict austerity measures. Many Greeks do not understand why their salaries are reduced, while large mosques built with public money. The Athenians pensioner Maria Kontou was quoted in the English-language newspaper Athens Plus with the words: "What is all this? Did we ever get anywhere Greeks abroad financial support to build there Greek Orthodox churches do? "On 10 December 2010, said the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou in Parliament that he would enforce the mosque now against all odds. Not only in Greece but everywhere in Europe, Islam is now rapidly changing our value system. In Graz, Austria in December 2010 was a 63-year-old Austrian pensioners to pay a penalty of 800 € convicted because he had yodel. The pensioner Helmut Griese had mowed in late summer on a Friday afternoon on his property in Graz the lawn. He said in December 2010, the district court judge in Graz-West. "And because I was such a good mood did stop, I yodel to and sung a few songs," But it was Friday. And in a building on the neighboring property were praying Muslims. They have shown it, because a retiree should not just yodel when Muslims pray in the near ...

http://translate.google.de/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Finfo.kopp-verlag.de%2Fhintergruende%2Fdeutschland%2Fudo-ulfkotte%2Fschoene-bescherung-eu-rettungsschirm-finanziert-moscheebau-in-athen.html&sl=de&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8

[Soldier of Macedon]

http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/articles/2011/01/03/reportage-01

Muslims eagerly await mosque construction in Athens

Muslims welcomed Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou's recent announcement that plans are moving full steam ahead for the construction of the first mosque in Athens.

Among them is Egyptian-born Naim Elghandour, chairman of the Muslim Association of Greece (MAG). He migrated to Greece in 1972 at the age of 18. His role as head of MAG, established in 2003, keeps him busy.

"We have worked very hard to raise people's awareness of issues concerning Muslims, to demonstrate that we are moderates, we are not terrorists and that no one should fear us," he told SETimes.

Although the media often claims that Muslims in Athens have been waiting decades for a mosque to be built in the capital, Elghandour said MAG submitted a formal proposal to the education and religious affairs ministry in 2006. It was approved, and a relevant law passed the same year.

Papandreou announced in parliament on December 10th that procedures for the mosque's construction had been accelerated, because the right to a place of worship is fundamental, the Athens News Agency (ANA) reported. It will be government-funded and built in the Votanikos district, near the city centre.

Although no official figure exists, Elghandour estimates there are close to one million Muslims in Greece, mostly from Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Based on migrant residence permit figures, there are about 500,000 Muslims registered in the greater Athens area -- many of whom Elghandour says move to rural areas to find work.

There are about 250,000 Muslim asylum-seekers, about 120,000 Muslims in Thrace, as well as tens of thousands of undocumented migrants and children of Muslim migrants.

Muslims in Athens rent offices, shops, basement apartments and garages that they use as places of worship. Elghandour commended the government's decision on the project. "I have a sense of both joy and anticipation. I am eagerly waiting for this project to move forward," he said.

Elghandour's Greek wife, Anna Stamou, is also actively involved in the Muslim Association of Greece. The pair met in 2003 while working as humanitarian aid volunteers for the Doctors of the World organisation during the Iraq war.

Stamou decided to adopt the Muslim faith two years after she married Elghandour. "There is no pressure for this. The Koran forbids us from pressuring anyone to become a Muslim," he points out. Stamou was among more than 500 Muslims who participated in an open-air prayer for Islam's Eid al-Adha religious celebration, organised by MAG and held in front of the University of Athens.

The celebration, in the heart of Athens' business district, proved to be an unusual sight in a country where more than 90% of the population is Greek Orthodox.

A civil servant in his early forties, who had never witnessed a Muslim prayer celebration before, said it made him "happy", as he believes everyone should have the right to freely practice their religion.

An estimated 13,000 Muslims attended Eid celebrations held at 12 sites throughout greater Athens.

At another Eid prayer gathering, held at the inner-city Attiki Square, members of the extreme-right group Chrysi Avgi and a number of residents tried to disrupt proceedings by playing loud music and throwing eggs at the faithful kneeling on prayer mats.

Elghandour said he disagreed with holding the Attiki Square celebration, as he believed it would add to tensions that have arisen between residents and migrants who have gathered at Athens' Agios Pandeleimonos district over the past year.

"Today's show of strength by African and Asian Muslims in Athens on the occasion of their religious celebration is a matter that should be of major concern for… incoming [Athens] Mayor [George] Kaminis," Greek media reported the spokesperson for the ultra-nationalist Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) party, Kostis Aivaliotis, as saying.

The atmosphere was far different outside the university, says Elghandour, where many Greeks extended their wishes to those praying. "There was one priest, who lived in Jerusalem for 40 years, who embraced me and … told me he stands by us. Now, when people like him, who are educated and civilised, act this way towards us, we are not concerned about a small number of right-wing extremists," he said.

He noted that the Greek people "have embraced us".

Elghandour said that some politicians and extremist groups are cultivating fears and racist attitudes to gain political advantage "in an attempt to convince a despairing youth that migrants are to blame for the [economic] crisis Greece is experiencing".

"A Greek high school graduate will not go and work as a painter or baker or fisherman or construction worker … All families want their children to study and take an office job. Therefore in practice, 90% of migrants have not taken the jobs of Greeks," he explains.

Speaking in parliament on the day of Papandreou's announcement regarding the mosque plans, LAOS Chairman George Karatzaferis referred to what he described as a "shocking" report on Islamic extremism in Greece, which charges that the majority of Muslim migrants in the country are obviously not terrorists, "yet they [fanatical Islamists] use this growing community to penetrate into societies", ANA reported.

Responding to a question tabled in parliament by Karatzaferis, who cited press reports of an alleged "mobilisation of Muslim extremist circles in Athens", Papandreou said "the absence of places of worship leads to the creation of semi-illegal spaces, or it forces the faithful to practice their religion outdoors, making what should be a normal event appear like an uprising or a protest," according to ANA.

Elghandour said that if Karatzaferis or anyone else has information concerning Muslims, they should give it to the police.

"If he is not certain, however, then he should remain silent because it is a disgrace for the leader of a political party to sell populism and influence the Greek on the street, who may not be well informed," Elghandour said.

He believes Greece is viewed differently than other Western countries as it has never been an "occupier" of other nations. "Greeks who lived around the world lived in peace with locals," he explained.

However, he said that right-wing elements in Greece attempt to "create a climate of hate so that Muslims abroad will think that Greece mistreats Muslims".

"We are aware of their plans, which were spoiled because we are here. The image of Greece and its population of 11 million will not be ruined by two or three hundred who engage in these types of practices," Elghandour said.

As for Papandreou's support for places of worship for all individuals in Greece, Elghandour said "it is a matter of culture. A civilised country must have places of worship for all faithful, of all religions."

The part is red is quite a joke. Greece has occupied Macedonia for almost 100 years. Anyway, here is more on the Athenian mosque:

http://digitaljournal.com/article/311276

Athens approves new mosque in the city

The Greek Parliament has approved controversial plans to build a new mosque in the capital of Athens to cater for the increasing demands of the Muslim population.

The long running argument regarding the construction of a mosque in Athens, Greece, has ended with Parliamentary approval for the building to go ahead. Until now Greece has remained the only original E.U. member state to not cater for its increasing Muslim population.

The border crossing with Turkey has become a first port of call for many illegal immigrants seeking entry to Europe. The resultant Muslim population has been forced to make alternative arrangements for worship to the mosque they have been demanding.

Despite vehement objections from many who oppose a mosque in the strictly Orthodox country, approval has been granted for a mosque to be built in Elaionas, an industrial district of Athens. However the mosque will be completed without the adornment of minarets.

The only political party to oppose the measure in Parliament was Laos, whose leader Giorgos Karatzeferis accused the government of creating
“a laboratory for the production of terrorists in the centre of Athens.”
Following four centuries of Ottoman occupation many Greeks opposed the returning signs of Muslim culture. When the Ottoman’s left Athens in 1832 the remaining mosques were no longer used for worship but only as tourism sites.

Greece turned down a previous offer from Saudi Arabia to fund the building of a mosque in the capital city and may now be forced to pay for the construction from the cash strapped public purse. A mosque was first approved in 2006 but fell by the wayside as the plans proved too controversial.

[George S.]

i'll beleive it when i see it.Greeks letting muslims build mosques??Greece has remained the only original E.U. member state to not cater for its increasing Muslim population. "'' why would greece cater for muslims it's too good to be true.

[Brian]

i'll beleive it when i see it.Greeks letting muslims build mosques??Greece has remained the only original E.U. member state to not cater for its increasing Muslim population. "'' why would greece cater for muslims it's too good to be true.

In case you missed the news, Gorge S, Sunni oil money is one of the things that runs the world and money talks and, well, you know the rest of the saying.

The only thing that has kept Greece 'safe' is their stubborn reluctance and the USA bases as a bargaining chip. With Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey filling this role the Greek position has diminished such that the oil dollar is winning and the Greeks will have a new Mosque(s).

Where previously wars were fought to Islamify Europe, now the path is paved in oil, and a few politicians with deep pockets. Some might say multiculturalism is great. To them I say, then quit your whining and enjoy all the new Mosques and everything that come with it - maybe that's where the 'Call of Duty' video game got it's inspiration from. One of David Duke's videos on 'Youtube' bears a striking resemblance. I'm sure Voltron and Co. are thrilled at the developments, after all, they wanted to be Macedonians, and now they will be able to enjoy what the rest of Macedonia has been enjoying for years.

[Voltron]

They have been saying the same thing for years now. Now with the crisis, they shouldnt expect anything at all. They should be perfectly happy with the basements, they can always go to a muslim country if they dont like it. We are not forcing them to stay.

[George S.]

i heard the greeks are deporting people.I heard the sudis oil is going to dry up.Also there is no way that they will be allowed to build because they don't know when to stop voltron is right for a change.