The position of foreign states on the return of the status of a mosque to Hagia Sophia cannot affect Ankara’s decision, the President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a video message during the opening of the bridge in Siirt province.

“Turkey decided to change the status of Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque, based on the desire and will of the people. The opinion of other countries cannot influence our decision, ”the Turkish leader emphasized.

  • Recep Tayyip Erdogan
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  • © Turkish Presidential Press Office

The politician added that the country will continue to move in the right direction to "building a great and strong Turkey."

The Hagia Sophia, around the status of which in recent days has developed international discussion, was built under the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I the Great between 532 and 537 years. As a Christian cathedral, the building lasted over 11 centuries. After the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople, the temple was turned into a mosque and remained in this status for about five centuries. In 1934, by the decision of the founder of the modern Turkish Republic of Kemal Ataturk, the temple became a museum.

"Symbol of civilization"

On July 10, 2020, the Turkish State Council overturned a decree almost a century ago, stressing that Hagia Sophia was still listed as a mosque in the state register. The object belongs to the Sultan Mehmet Khan Foundation, the documentation of which indicated that the former museum can only be used as a mosque.

On the same day, President of the Republic Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree allowing the opening of a cathedral for the conduct of Islamic religious rites.

At the same time, the Turkish president stressed that the doors of the mosque will be open to everyone, including foreigners and representatives of other religions. A pre-existing entry fee will be canceled. The cathedral will begin acting as a mosque on July 24, after preparatory activities.

  • Saint Sophie Cathedral
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  • © Murad Sezer

“Hagia Sophia is in the jurisdiction of Turkey. Any objections regarding the decision of our judicial authorities will be considered as a violation of our sovereignty, ”Erdogan said.

The politician also compared Hagia Sophia with one of the key Islamic shrines - the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is run by the Israeli authorities.

“The revival of Hagia Sophia is a harbinger of the liberation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” ​​Erdogan added.

The head of the Office for Religious Affairs of Turkey, Ali Erbash, has already welcomed the decision of the country's authorities. Commenting on this event, the leader of Turkish Muslims noted the special role of the cathedral.

“Hagia Sophia is not a simple temple in terms of its significance. This is a symbol of great faith, civilization, morality and justice for Muslims, ”the statement said on the website of the Office.

The step of the Turkish authorities has caused the approval of a significant part of the political circles of the republic. Even the Kemalist opposition Republican People’s Party refrained from harshly criticizing this decision. The party only recalled that Hagia Sophia is part of the historical heritage of all mankind, so the transformation from a museum to a mosque should take place without prejudice to the architectural appearance of the cathedral.

According to the director of the Center for the Study of New Turkey, Yuri Mavashev, Turkish politicians supported the decision of the ruling party primarily because of the criticism that is now voiced by foreign states against Ankara.

“The Turks took foreign criticism of the decision on Hagia Sophia as interference in the sovereign affairs of the republic, and therefore they supported the authorities. But initially, the population did not have a single opinion on this issue. The idea of ​​turning Sofia into a mosque is usually supported by poorly educated layers of the population, while urban residents have always been skeptical about such plans, ”the expert said in an interview with RT.

Speaking about the reasons that forced the country's authorities to take this step, the expert recalled the economic crisis that overtook Turkey. In May, the national currency depreciated to unprecedented levels, and the coronavirus pandemic hit the tourism industry.

“The Turkish president wants to focus the attention of the Turkish people on the return of Hagia Sophia to the status of a mosque, to show that this is more significant than the shaky rating of the ruling Justice and Development Party and the problems with the lira. He needs a political and moral upsurge, ”the expert added.

  • Muslims pray in front of Hagia Sophia
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  • © Murad Sezer

In addition, the decision on Hagia Sophia should serve the idea of ​​Erdogan to enter the history of Turkey as a major political figure.

“We are talking about the concept of“ New Turkey ”(tour. Yeni Türkiye) - this is how Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his supporters call the current republican period. In the strict sense, this course can be called neo-Ottoman with many reservations. I would say that this is rather the use of some historical memories, a game of imperial passions, ”said Yuri Mavashev.

A similar point of view is shared by the associate professor of the Institute of Social Sciences of the RANEPA, orientalist Sergei Demidenko.

“The decision of the Turkish leadership is closely connected with the economic crisis, the collapse of the lira. The Turkish economy has entered a rather steep peak, since it seriously depends on external capital, which, in turn, began to decline by 2012-2013. Today Erdogan has foreign policy successes, but there are practically no internal ones. Therefore, the authorities are trying to compensate for economic losses with certain foreign policy gains and similar initiatives, ”the expert noted in a commentary to RT.

"Slap the World Christianity"

Ankara’s decision caused a mixed reaction in the world. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) stated that changing the status of Hagia Sophia is unlawful without the consent of the World Heritage Committee.

Ankara’s decision aroused regret in Moscow as well, said Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko. The diplomat added that Moscow is counting on Ankara's full fulfillment of its obligations regarding the safety and accessibility of this facility.

  • Reuters
  • © Philippe Wojazer

In much sharper formulations, the step of the Turkish authorities was commented on in the Russian Orthodox Church. The head of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations (DECR) of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Alokey (Alfeev), called this step of Ankara "a slap in the face of world Christianity."

“It is a pity that the political situation prevails over respect for other religious traditions,” he said.

The decision of the Turkish leadership provoked a very cool reaction from Washington too - earlier the head of the State Department, Mike Pompeo, called on the Turkish side to maintain the status of the museum behind the cathedral.

A similar point of view is shared by official Brussels.

“The decision by the Turkish Council of State to repeal one of the landmark decisions of modern Turkey and the decision by President Erdogan to transfer the historical monument to the Office of Religious Affairs is regrettable,” said Josep Borrell, head of European diplomacy, in a statement.

The most harsh reaction came from Athens. As the Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias explained in an interview with Skai, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, by his decision, “turns his back on the international community and its rules.”

Moreover, in the Islamic world, Ankara’s decision caused some discrepancies, Yuri Mavashev believes.

“Most clearly Turkey was supported by Pakistan and Qatar. At the same time, Erdogan put his opponents in an uncomfortable position in the person of the leadership of several Arab countries - Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Oman and some others. For political reasons, they do not want to support Ankara, but at the same time many of their citizens perceived Turkey’s step as a revenge of the Islamic world over the collective West, ”the expert noted.

Speaking about why Ankara did not listen to the opinions of such major world players as the USA, EU and Russia, as well as the position of UNESCO, Sergey Demidenko recalled that the Turkish leader has long advocated the idea of ​​absolutely self-sufficient Turkey.

“For him, Turkey, a state that independently acts against Russia and Iran, does not adapt to NATO and the United States. Erdogan plays the card of a tough political leader, positions himself as the father of the Turkish nation. And although this will not solve Turkey’s internal problems, in the external arena such a move will present Ankara as an independent player, whose opinion should be taken into account by everyone, ”the expert summed up.