Reporter, STA 03 Feb.2020 13:57 1 |Updated: 14:07 / 02/03/2020The Islamic community in Slovenia presented to the public a Muslim cultural center with a mosque, which will be officially opened in June.According to mufti Nedžad Grabus, the center represents a turning point for Muslims in Slovenia, because with it they will finally have their own places for prayer and activities, among which he highlights mainly cultural and educational ones.As Grabus said at the presentation of the Muslim Cultural Center of Ljubljana, as its official name is, in 2006 they had the idea to build the center on the Road of the Two Emperors, because that was not possible, so in 2008 they bought land between Parmova and Kurilniška streets , where the center stands today.The foundation stone for it was laid in 2013. Excavations began in 2014, the first phase of construction began in 2015 and 2016, then construction stopped in 2017, and the second phase of construction began in 2018.According to Grabus, perhaps the most difficult part of the project was the construction and arrangement of ownership relations for about 500 meters of the road that leads from Parmova Street to the center, since all the necessary formalities for it were arranged only two months ago.According to him, it is one of the most beautiful Muslim cultural centers in Europe, which can accommodate around 1,400 believers.A parking lot, a gym, a restaurant and a lecture hall were arranged in the basement of the building.On the ground floor, there is a mosque with a 40-meter-high minaret, a washroom for ritual washing before prayer, and educational, administrative, and residential facilities.So far, the entire project has cost them around 34 million euros, when it is completely completed, its price will rise to slightly more than 34 million euros.About 28 million euros for the construction were received from donors from Qatar, two million from other countries, and four million were collected by Muslim believers in Slovenia, who, according to Grabus, number around 80,000.When asked whether the donors from Qatar will request any favors in exchange for the donation or perhaps dictate the activities of the center, Grabus answered in the negative.The center will be officially opened in June, and it will begin to be used in a week or so.In the mosque, prayers will be held five times a day, on major holidays, when a larger number of people are expected, also on the plateau in front of it.Following the example of mosques from abroad, loudspeakers will be used to invite people to pray, but everything will be limited to the central plateau of the center."We will try not to upset the Slovenian public," said Grabus.When and in what way the center and the mosque will be opened to the public have not yet been fully decided in the Islamic community.For now, it is planned that visiting the mosque will be possible during the time when there will be no prayers in it, initially free of charge, later, following the example of more important church buildings, an entrance fee could be charged.The gym, restaurant and parking lot will most likely be leased commercially, as according to Grabus, the maintenance of the entire complex will not be cheap.The representative of the company Elea iC, which supervised the construction, Jurij Rihar, said that the entire project was carried out in accordance with the regulations.It required a lot of coordination between the client and the contractors, and the construction was also regularly reported to the donors in Qatar.Photo: Primož Lavre - Nevzet Porić, Secretary General of the Islamic Community in the Republic of Slovenia.Photo: Primož Lavre - Mufti of the Islamic Community in the Republic of Slovenia Nedžad Grabus.REPORTER MEDIA, doo© 2008-2022.All rights reserved.