the Meeting lasted only about 20 minutes. According to the results, the judges stated that to transform the Museum in the mosque of the presidential decree.
As stated by the representative of supporters to the Cathedral became a mosque, as it was from 1453 to 1934, the Hagia Sophia is the property of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, who conquered Constantinople in 1453. He gave it as a gift as Waqf – property transferred for religious purposes. Thus, the Cathedral belongs to the Fund, the Manager of this gift. But according to Turkish laws, the government cannot dispose of property funds. So, the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of 1934, adopted at the initiative of the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal atatürk, on the award of the Hagia Sophia and the status of a Museum is illegal. Now the question is at the discretion of the President, since the abolition of the status of the Museum is required to reverse the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers.
In recent years, Turkey increasingly, the voices of supporters to the Hagia Sophia became a mosque. As Turkey’s ruling Party justice and development is largely based on the traditionalists, the decision to make Hagia Sophia a mosque can be positively perceived by the electorate voting for the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to the analysts, this step will strengthen the image of power and to divert attention from economic and political problems in the country.
If the decision on status change is positive, then the first mass Muslim prayer at Hagia Sophia could take place on July 15, the anniversary of the coup attempt in 2016.
the Last few years in the Cathedral every year on may 29th, the day of the capture of Constantinople, read a Muslim “victory prayer.”
news about the possibility of change the status of Hagia Sophia has caused controversy. Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople said that the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque will worsen the ratio of Christians to Muslims.
U.S. Secretary of state Michael Pompeo said that “the United States urges the Turkish authorities to leave the Hagia Sophia Museum. This will demonstrate the readiness of Turkey to respect the traditions associated with religion and diverse history of the Turkish state. It is imperative that everyone have access to the Cathedral.”
this statement Pompeo irritated reaction from Ankara. Previously, President Erdogan has said that the status of Hagia Sophia – an internal affair of Turkey and is now the official representative the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Turkey Hami Aksoy replied to Washington that “nobody has the right to talk about our sovereign rights in such manner as “we urge, we demand”… the Hagia Sophia is located on our land, is the property of Turkey, like all of our cultural values”.
the Greek side actively opposed changing the statusand. “I hope that President Erdogan will not approve such a decision, causing serious harm to Turkey,” – said the Minister of foreign Affairs of Greece Nikos Dendias.
the Russian historical society also made a statement in which says that “the Potential change in the status of this monument is of deep concern to the scientific and Museum communities in many countries of the world… I Appeal to my Turkish colleagues, urging them to take a balanced position on the question of the status of Hagia Sophia. Support the efforts of all constructive forces to preserve this unique monument and to promote equal access to him.”
