EU says Hagia Sophia mosque decision 'regrettable'

People demonstrate with banners and Greek national flags outside the Agia Sofia church of Thessaloniki, to protest after top Turkish court revoked Istanbul's Hagia Sophia monument's 1934 status as a museum. Credit: AFP

The European Union lamented on Friday President Tayyip Erdogan's decision to declare Istanbul's Hagia Sophia open to Muslim prayer as a mosque after a top court ruled that the building's conversion to a museum was illegal.

Also Read: Turkey court revokes Hagia Sophia's museum status: report

"The ruling by the Turkish Council of State to overturn one of modern Turkey's landmark decisions and President Erdogan's decision to place the monument under the management of the Religious Affairs Presidency is regrettable," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.

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