Krnov is gauging people's opinions on the construction of an Orthodox church

Krnov (Bruntál region) - Residents of Krnov in the Bruntál region can express their opinion in a survey until the end of the year on whether they want an Orthodox church in the city center. The Orthodox Church intends to build it opposite the city library by 2011 and has requested the city to transfer the land. The city leadership was supposed to decide on this back in August. However, the church must wait until the city determines the public's opinion, which will then be taken into account by the councilors and representatives. CTK was informed of this by the spokesperson for the Krnov Town Hall, Dita Círová.
    City residents can pick up and submit survey ballots at the city library or at the Krnov Town Hall information center. They will be asked several questions - for example, whether they agree with filling the gap in Minoritů Square, whether it should be occupied by the Orthodox church, or whether they are interested in unusual buildings when visiting other cities.
    The three-story church for one hundred believers, which the local Greek minority wishes to have in Krnov, will also serve as a non-profit center for leisure activities. According to a study by Olomouc architect Taťána Tzoumasová, the ground floor of the sanctuary will house the church with facilities and a cloakroom. The first floor will feature offices and club rooms, while the second floor will contain a multi-purpose hall for 40 people. The church will also include a small apartment for the priest.
    Krnov Mayor Renata Ramazanová previously told CTK that she is satisfied with the architectural design. "The proposed church fits the surroundings both in height and character. Placing it in the gap was very challenging; the architect had to respect the approved regulatory plan and the intention to complete the entire Minoritů Square," Ramazanová said.
    The construction of the church, which will cost several tens of millions of Czech crowns, should be supported by believers and the Association of Greek Communities in the Czech Republic in a fundraising campaign. Christos Bialas, chairman of the association, was the initiator of the idea to build the church, which is missing in the region. According to him, the church would also serve people from Volhynia, Transcarpathian Ukraine, and other traditional Orthodox areas.
    Around 700 descendants of Greeks still live in the Krnov region, who were brought to northern Moravia during the civil war in Greece, mostly against their will. Historical sources indicate that in the mid-1950s, up to 2,500 Greeks lived in Krnov, and the city was called "little Athens." Many of them remained in the Czech Republic even after 1989. Among the most famous Greek entrepreneurs operating in the Czech Republic are Jannis Samaras and his family - majority owners of the Czech-Polish beverage group Kofola-Hoop.