Turkey’s foreign minister scolded the European Union over its condemnation of a Turkish option to convert Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque, stating the matter is an issue of nationwide sovereignty.Last week, Turkey cancelled the sixth-century previous cathedral-turned-mosque’s 86-year status as a museum and stated it would open for Muslim praise since July 24. The option triggered criticism in the United States, Greece, and other Western nations in addition to from Orthodox Christian leaders.Pope Francis exposed distress over the move.EU foreign ministers, holding their first face-to-face
conference in months on Monday, declared that they “condemned” the decision.EU foreign affairs primary Josep Borrell said there was” broad assistance to get in touch with the Turkish authorities to urgently think about and reverse this decision “. People, curtained in Turkish flags stand outside the now closed Byzantine-era Hagia Sophia( Emrah Gurel/AP) Asked to talk about the EU criticism, foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu notified a joint news conference with
his checking out Maltese equivalent:” We reject the word ‘condemnation’.”” This is a matter that worries Turkey’s
sovereign rights, “he said.He argued that there were numerous mosques in EU-member Spain that had actually been changed into churches.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on the other hand, explained the 1934 choice by the Turkish
Republic’s nonreligious, founding leaders that transformed Hagia Sophia from a mosque into a museum as a mistake.” We are treating an error. It’s as fundamental as that,” Mr Erdogan said in a televised address, following a weekly Cabinet meeting.Mr Erdogan kept that the criticisms levelled against Turkey over Hagia Sophia’s go back to a mosque were a” pretext” for enmity towards Turkey and Islam.He likewise stated his nation was identified to safeguard the structure’s qualities as a cultural heritage.On Tuesday, Greece when again revealed discouragement at Turkey’s decision.
” This decision is certainly painful to us as Greek Orthodox Christians nevertheless it also harms us as residents of the world, “mentioned Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Muslims supply their night prayers outside the Byzantine-era Hagia Sophia( Emrah Gurel/AP)” This is not a Greek-Turkish issue, it is not even a Euro-Turkish issue, it is worldwide.” It is a universal problem.” Mr Mitsotakis included:” With this challenge, Turkey is picking to sever ties with the Western world and its values.” It abandons a cultural direction of many centuries, selecting introversion. “And it covers with a synthetic mantle of strength over its powerlessness.” Meanwhile, authorities from Turkey’s spiritual affairs authority, stated the landmark structure can remain open up to visitors beyond prayer hours, the state-run Anadolu Firm reported.The Christian representations inside are no challenge to Muslim prayers, said the officials who are preparing the site for Muslim worship.They included nonetheless, that the figures would require to be covered
with drapes or through other ways throughout the prayers, in line with Islamic
traditions that forbid such representations. Source