By V4 Agency
Although Green politicians are funding Islamists, they don’t seem to care, said an MEP regarding plans by the city leadership to cover a significant portion of the renovation costs of the local mosque, which has been under construction for years. One of the main supporters of the Muslim place of worship is an organisation that refuses to cooperate with the government.
As the issue of Islamism constinues to take centre stage in France, it comes as little surprise that a recent decision by the Strasbourg City Council has provoked a general outcry. The council has decided to contribute more than two and a half million euros to the construction costs of the Eyyub Sultan Mosque in the city, which, when completed, will be Europe’s largest.
Although the opposition led by Green Party Mayor Jeanne Barseghian has vehemently opposed the proposal, the greens adopted it with 42 votes in favour and 7 against, meaning the city will contribute 2,563,000 euros towards the construction project. Work on the building began in 2017, but it had to be put on hold in 2019, because the Turkish Islamist movement Milli Gorus, the main contributor and the operator of hundreds of mosques across Europe, had financial difficulties.
According to Le Figaro, Mayor Jeanne Barseghian noted during the budget vote that the allocated sum is around 10 per cent of the construction costs, roughly the same that Strasbourg normally pays out to alleviate the renovation costs of places of worship undergoing construction in the city. Based on information obtained by the daily, the total cost of the mosque is well over 25 million euros. Preliminary estimates suggest that Europe’s largest mosque, to be built in a French city where the European Parliament is officially headquartered, will cost no less than 32 million euros.
To be truthful, the Green Party mayor has proposed some conditions to be included in the grant agreement: Islamist organisations must be signatories of the Charter on Republican Values and must ensure that funding dedicated to financing the mosque is transparent.
Although earlier this year most Islamic organisations in France had signed the charter, which stipulates that the values of the French Republic are superior to the teachings of Islam, the afore-mentioned Islamist movement called Milli Gorus has refused to do so. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin also drew attention to this fact on Twitter, warning that Strasbourg’s mayor is supporting a Turkish organisation that openly promotes political Islam.
MEP Virginie Joron, a member of the right-wing National Rally, also voiced strong criticism over the generous donation from the Strasbourg city management, calling it downright scandalous that green party politicians are unperturbed by financing Islamists.