The completion of the construction of the Cathedral Mosque in Simferopol has been postponed for another year. The facility, which, on instructions from the President of the Russian Federation, was supposed to be inaugurated in October 2021, is only 70% ready.
The Prime Minister of the Government of Crimea, Yuri Gotsanyuk, stated this on air on the Millet TV channel, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“We plan to complete this facility next year, by the end of March or beginning of May. It will be fully commissioned in the middle of the year, that is, by July 1, this facility will be completed,” the prime minister assured. – Façade work is currently being carried out. Interior work is almost complete. If we talk about readiness - more than 70% for the entire facility. There are still questions about landscaping the territory.”
Construction materials for the mosque are brought from Turkey. Products undergo certification and only after that go into construction. There are no risks due to the introduction of sanctions.
Construction of the Cathedral Mosque has been underway since 2016. It will become the largest in Crimea, covering an area of 5,7 thousand square meters. The structure consists of two parts - the main building with a dome and a courtyard with colonnades and a place for ablution before prayer. Up to 2,6 thousand people will be able to stay on the territory of the mosque.
It was planned that the Presidents of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan would come to the opening. Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin and the head of the republic Sergei Aksenov were appointed responsible for readiness by October 1, 2021. The latter announced a new readiness date in March – the end of 2022.