EU says Hagia Sophia mosque decision 'regrettable'

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.

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"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.