The first mosque in Greece opens after years of delays

The first mosque in Greece has finally opened its doors after 14 years of delays, local media reported on Tuesday.

The first prayer at the newly opened mosque was held on Monday with a series of protective measures imposed by the health authorities to avoid the spread of the new coronavirus.

An administrative committee, assigned by the Greek government to run the mosque, chose Moroccan-born Zaki Mohammed to be an imam for the new mosque. The latter has been an imam «at one of the five makeshift prayer rooms in Athens», recognized by the Greek Education Minister Costas Gavroglou.

Located in Athens, the mosque in question is the first Muslim place of worship built in the Greek capital since the end of the Ottoman occupation.