Greece has launched a nationwide operation targeting approximately 60 unlicensed mosques operating across Athens, primarily in basements, apartments, garages, and warehouses. Migration Minister Thanos Plevris announced the crackdown, emphasizing enforcement of building codes, fire safety regulations, and religious worship laws. Foreign nationals administering these unlicensed sites face potential deportation, as authorities prioritize public safety and legal compliance.
The initiative follows reports of overcrowding, unsafe conditions, and unregulated gatherings in these makeshift prayer spaces, which lack official permits. Plevris stated the move protects worship freedoms while curbing illegal activities, with police raids identifying violations in the capital's immigrant-heavy neighborhoods.
Supporters hail it as a necessary step against urban hazards, while critics, including some Muslim community leaders, decry it as discriminatory and urge formal mosque approvals instead.
No arrests have been detailed yet, but the government vows comprehensive sweeps. This aligns with broader EU trends on migration control amid Greece's border pressures from Syria and elsewhere. Official mosques remain unaffected, operating under state oversight.
