by PAUL ANTONOPOULOS
UNESCO sent letter to Turkey regarding turning Hagia Sophia into a mosque
Greece will be putting sanctions against Turkey for its decision to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque.
“Erdoğan made a historic mistake, a mistake that creates a gap, I hope it is not bridged,” government spokesman Stelios Petsas told SKAI earlier. Petsas emphasised that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a “wrong decision”.
“Greece condemns this action and will do everything in its power to have consequences for Turkey,” he said, adding that “everything is on the table and the possibility of sanctions not only from Europe but also from international organisations, such as UNESCO.”
He added that “there is no doubt that we will proceed with some form of sanctions,” without giving further details what these sanctions will entail.
“Anyone who violates international law must understand that for this delinquent behaviour there are sanctions that hurt,” said Petsas. “The issue of Hagia Sophia is an international issue. The only sure thing is that such a delinquent behaviour and such a great insult should have a similar response.”
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, provoked by the decision of Erdoğan to sign the decree for the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque, in a written statement on Friday night expressed the unequivocal condemnation of Greece.
“Greece strongly condemns Turkey’s decision to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque. This decision – and in fact 85 years since its proclamation as a museum – offends its universal character. It is a choice that also offends all those who recognise the monument as a property of world culture. And, of course, it affects not only Turkey’s relations with Greece. But also its relations with the European Union, UNESCO and the global community as a whole. It is unfortunate that the Turkish leadership, which worked for the Alliance of Civilizations in 2005, is now choosing to move in the opposite direction,” he said.
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