First mosque to be built in Slovenia

SARAJEVO

The Islamic Cultural Centre and mosque in the Slovenian capital will be the center of interfaith dialogue and respect for the diversity of Slovenian society, Mufti of Ljubljana Nedzad Grabus told AA.

Mufti Grabus spoke to AA ahead of Saturday's ceremony in the capital Ljubljana marking the laying of the foundation of what will be the closest mosque in the Balkans to western Europe.

"This fulfills the decade-long dream of Bosniaks in Slovenia to have a mosque," said Grabus. 

He added it will be a center for ''mutually strengthening relationships within the community."

''We plan, if everything goes well, to finish the construction in three years by 2016,'' said Grabus, adding that close to seven million Euros had been invested in the project so far.

"The biggest donation we received was from Qatar, with the consent of Emir Al-Walid Sheikh Hamed bin Khalifa Al Thani. They will significantly finance the construction," concluded Grabus.

englishnews@aa.com.tr