Agia Sophia re-entered the political agenda in Turkey, even on the occasion of the statement of an Islamist politician, as reported by SKAI correspondent Manolis Kostidis.

First day of Ramadan today, prayer at Agia Sophia, o Recep Tayyip Erdogan declares that its conversion into a mosque is his achievement, and the opposition is coming, and in fact the Islamist of the “six” alliance, the chairman of the Prosperity Party Temel Karamolaoglu, and mentions that when the opposition parties come to power possibly part of “to reopen for tourists”, that is, part of becoming a museum again, an interim solution that the Islamists do not want, so the pro-government media attacked it.

“When we come to power, Hagia Sophia will be opened on real terms. She will find her soul again” said the Islamist politician on Twitter.

Asked during a show on Karar TV, the president of the Prosperity Party, after the dimension of the reactions following his post, pointed out that “beyond the sections that are used as mosques (s.s. for religious reasons), the rest can to be opened for the use of tourists”as it is a very large building.

The proposal of the chairman of the Prosperity Party was characterized by a party of the press as “weird” as the Hagia Sophia mosque points out, it was dedicated to religious worship in 2020 after 86 years, an event “the Muslim world was waiting for”.

The reactions of the Turkish press are indicative:

  • Sabah: “Strange proposal of Karamolaoglou: Part of Hagia Sophia can be opened for tourists”
  • In son haber: “Declaration on “Hagia Sophia” by Temel Karamolaoglou.: We can open part of it to tourists”
  • Milliyet: “The Hagia Sophia of Temel Karamolaoglou.”
  • Hurriyet: “Declaration of Karamolaoglou: Some parts of Hagia Sophia to be opened for tourists”
  • Cnnturk: ​​”The Saint Sophia of Karamolaoglou.”
  • Yeniakit: “Karamolaoglou said the first ‘but’ about Hagia Sophia”

The reports also emphasize that Mr. Karamolaoglou said that “there is no intention of Kemal Kilicdaroglu or anyone else to convert the mosque into something else”. “It’s just that the size of the building is such that it could allow part of it to be used as a museum.”