Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis reacts to 'Kariye'

Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis has reacted to the conversion of the Kariye (Chora) into a mosque. Mitsotakis, who is expected to visit Turkey on May 13, stated that he would raise his concerns regarding the matter during his visit to Turkey.

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Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis reacts to 'Kariye'

The General Directorate of Foundations of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which owns the Kariye Monastery in Istanbul, opened the site for worship as of May 6, following its conversion to mosque status by a Presidential Decree dated August 21, 2020.

According to a report in the Greece-based Kathimerini, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his 'discomfort' over the opening of Kariye for worship as a mosque, stating that he would bring the issue up during his meeting with AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

'AN INSULT'

In a statement regarding the matter, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted that the opening of Kariye for worship as a mosque was 'an insult to its status on the UNESCO World Heritage List.'

The statement alleged that with this decision, Ankara was 'challenging the international community.'

The statement further included the following: "Protecting the universal character of monuments and adhering to international standards for the protection of religious and cultural heritage is a clear international obligation that binds all states."

News Source: 12punto