Athens, Greece — The government wants new legislation to end the powerful Church of Greece's say on construction of non-Orthodox places of worship.
However, Education and Religious Affairs Minister Marietta Giannakou rejected modification of the law against proselytizing, which carries a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment.
The current building law asks local Orthodox bishops their opinion about non-Orthodox churches and Muslim mosques before construction permits are granted.
Giannakou said bishops' opinions are usually negative, but her ministry has approved all building requests over the past two years except for one from followers of Greece's ancient gods of Olympus.
Athens has no officially approved Muslim mosque, despite a large immigrant population. A couple dozen makeshift, unauthorized mosques operate in the capital, which government officials fear could become a potential hotbed for radical Islamists.