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“As a Greek, I am quite indignant. I feel pretty angry about that, “said Margaritis Schinas, vice president of the European Commission.
The vice president’s comments came after St. Petersburg was converted to a mosque on Friday. The first Muslim services were held in 86 years at the Sofia Cathedral, after the status of the Cathedral Museum was abolished earlier this month.
“I think Turkey should decide at some point what their geopolitical position should be and what they want to align with in the future,” Schin said.
“Turkey will want to work with the EU and build on European values? And if so, what is happening today with Sophia Cathedral is definitely a bad starting point,” added the vice president.
Hagia Sophia was originally built as a basilica in the 6th century, and after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the church was converted into a mosque. After the founding of the Republic of Turkey, it became a museum in 1935.
The cathedral was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.
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