Galery

3

2

1

Recently a survey conducted by the CNN showed that 80 percent of the residents of New York are against the construction of the mosque Cordoba close to Ground Zero - the place in the lower Manhattan, where once stood the World Trade Center. Politicians from President Barack Obama to the New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, journalists with left and right beliefs, business people and just public figures took part in the heated debates whether or not it is the right thing to do to raise a mosque adjacent to the memorial to the victims of Septpember 11^th, 2001. And if it is built, is this a symbol of victory of the American free spirit over terrorism or is it just the opposite.
    Fierce controversy covered with an even thicker layer of oblivion the construction or rehabilitation of just another religious monument - the Orthodox church of St. Nicholas, situated just next to the southern tower twin, which was literally swept from the collapse of the World Trade Center. For nine years now port authorities in New York and church board of St. Nicholas can not reach to an agreement on where and how to restore the Orthodox church. There is no problem to restore the Orthodox church at its original location, however it should be with the size which it had while it existed before September 11, 2001, however Americans of Greek origin prefer to build it bigger and more impressive.
    In 2008 the church board and port authorities in New York and New Jersey reached a compromise to restore the building at the corner of the streets Liberia and Greenwich, two blocks away from its original location. Under this place according to the plans of the port authorities should be build a control center for the cars which will park in the new World Trade Center. Therefore, they are committed to provide $ 20 million, in order for the church to build on a basis protected against explosions. The problem arises when the church board announced its plans for an impressive church with huge dome. Then port authorities insisted on reducing the size of the church, which height, according to them should not be greater than that of the Memorial of the victims of September 11, 2001.
    "The way to treat the restoration of St. Nicholas is in sharp contrast to the manner in which is handled the construction of the Cordoba mosque", said in a formal statement George Demos, a Republican candidate for member of Congress from the first New York district at the partial elections for Congress in November. He places the construction of Cordoba and the restoration of St. Nicholas as one of his priorities in the fight for a seat in the Congress, although his election district in Long Island is far from the lower part of Manhattan. Demos points out that the mosque will have the height of a 13-storey building, ie significantly higher than the Memorial of the victims of September 11 and that several rural authorities, including the port authorities have already approved the its construction. "The port authorities are an institution that was created by Congress and must account for their actions before the authorities of the states of New York and New Jersey, however in practice it is not responsible to anyone and this makes them negligent to public opinion", says Demos yet.
    He has sent an official inquiry and the mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg, one of the most downright supporters of the construction of the Córdoba mosque, who replies as follows: "As far as I know the port authorities and the church board of "St. Nicholas" work very hard to find a solution for the construction of the church and I hope very soon to have good news".
    Hopefully so.