February 9, 2012
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In particular, the announcement refers to the fact that a Byzantine cemetery in Istanbul’s Çatalca district has been repeatedly plundered for years, due to a lack of proper protection of the monument on behalf of the Turkish authorities.
A similar case that caused outrage among Greeks was the construction of a five-star hotel in the Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, amid the ruins of an ancient Byzantine palace.
Moreover, the Hagia Sophia Church has been converted into a mosque, a fact that caused deep concern to the Orthodox community in Greece.
Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes that cultural monuments should be preserved and protected regardless of the national or religious identity that they carry.
Finally, the Greek Ministry concludes that the Turkish authorities should protect and preserve the monuments in order to promote them in the region.
