Shafaq News / The Greek Ministry of Culture said on Friday that the decree of changing the Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul into a mosque is a "Public provocation" of the civilized world.
"Today's decision, which came as a result of the political will of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is a clear provocation of the civilized world that recognizes the unique value of this archaeological landmark", Minister of culture and sport Lina Mendoni said in a statement.
Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree to open the historic Hagia Sophia landmark as a mosque.
The historic Hagia Sophia was built in 537 as the former Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal cathedral, later an Ottoman imperial mosque in Istanbul.
In 1935, the first Turkish President and founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, transformed the building into a museum.
This step comes in a challenge from Turkish President to western countries that previously warned against turning the landmark into a mosque.