# Hagia Sophia Controversy: Impact on Tourism and Guidance for Diplomatic Responses

## Executive Summary

As a tour guide in Istanbul, the reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 2020 presents both challenges and opportunities for your business.

This report analyzes the controversy surrounding President Erdogan's decision, focusing on the religious and political criticisms, and provides guidance on addressing tourist concerns diplomatically.

## Background on the Controversy

The Hagia Sophia, originally built as a Byzantine cathedral in 537 CE, was converted into a mosque following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453.

In 1935, under Turkey's secular founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, it was designated as a museum, symbolizing Turkey's modern, secular identity.

The 2020 reconversion back to a mosque by President Erdogan has sparked international debate.

## Key Criticisms of the Conversion

### Religious Undertones and Secularism

1.

**Reversal of Secular Principles**: The conversion is seen as a reversal of Ataturk's legacy of separating religion from state affairs.

According to the context documents, Erdogan's AK Party, when it came to power in 2003, "reversed Ataturk's policy of the division of state and religion.

" The founder of modern Turkey had tried to "emulate the Western democracies, confining the mullahs to the mosques.

"

2.

**Weaponization of Religion**: Critics argue that Erdogan has "banked his political fortunes on the ignorance of fanatical masses" and has "gradually brought back the marriage of religion and politics.

" The documents suggest that Erdogan uses religion as "a political tool to meet his ambitions of building a world sultanate.

"

3.

**Impact on Interfaith Relations**: The conversion has been viewed by some as prioritizing Islamic heritage over the site's Christian history, potentially alienating Christian visitors and those who value the site's multi-religious significance.

### Political Motivations

1.

**Nationalist and Imperial Ambition

# Hagia Sophia Controversy: Impact on Tourism and Guidance for Diplomatic Responses

## Executive Summary

As a tour guide in Istanbul, the reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 2020 presents both challenges and opportunities for your business.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
The castle, the sea and Mrs. Nafisa
I rubbed my eyes several times while watching a video of a tweet from an Arab country on a historical topic.
The subject of the video was about a dangerous archaeological assumption, which is that Mount Sinai is located outside Sinai!
Especially in a mountain range in Saudi Arabia!
At first, I didn ’ t feel that tight.
and if I asked myself & lt; & lt; what brought the castle by the sea? & gt; & gt;
In the famous way of Muhammad Sa'ad.
I did a quick search and found that it was based on the individual diligence of a scientist who said this strange opinion and many did not pay attention to it.
But the activity of this young singer drew my attention to something inside of us more than about others.
And that is that there are those who seek to reduce what we have, and it is very, very much.
And that whoever does this may be an Egyptian by nationality, but certainly not an Egyptian by belonging and closest to health is that he is an Egyptian traitor.
Others recruited him to destroy his country and lose his people ’ s self-confidence.
It goes without saying that the Torah, the Quran and the Gospel are what told us that Moses (peace be upon him) saved his Lord in Sinai, and that his people lived there for forty years, and it goes without saying that the Mount of Transfiguration is one of the most important religious shrines in Egypt, and that President Sisi ordered the development of the region tourist to become a global tourist destination.. Why?
Because there is a great tourism competition that will be witnessed in the coming years and among the axes of religious tourism..
This competition, which does not spoil the friendliness of the issue, will happen by chance with a number of brotherly countries in the Middle East such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and other countries.
As a result of its years of inactivity, Egypt only ranked third in the number of tourists in the region after the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Egypt has announced that it aims to double the number of tourists and reach 30 million tourists within five years.
This is a legitimate ambition and less than a country that has one-sixth of the world ’ s monuments and has beaches on Bahrain and combines the climate of Asia with the climate of Africa.
Etc..
What does the electronic commissions of traitors have to do with all this?
The relationship is very close.
Take a project such as the development of the shrines of the House..
It ’ s a simple project, but it ’ s a great one.
First, it sweeps the dust of half a century of imposing Wahhabism on Egypt and generalizing the culture of criminalizing the visit of the family of the house and expiation and innovation - from the heresy - who performs it for other spiritual shrines and another understanding of the religion - has all the respect away from us - then it deepens the cultural heritage of Egypt. This is how God wanted him.
The revival of the shrines of Al-Bayt means that Egypt should be for Muslims with all their sects, diversity, teams and sects, because we welcome visitors without interfering in their relationship with their Lord exactly as we do not like anyone to interfere in our relationship with our Lord.
The renewal of these shrines would raise the value of Egypt in the Muslim world more than it is high, and would revive religious tourism.
In addition to the 15 million who come to visit the beaches and Pharaonic monuments, a million, two or three may come to visit the shrines of Al Bayt.
Certainly this increases Egypt's income and opportunities in tourism competition and harasses the committees of traitors and those who pay them, and here shows the genius of the traitor in distortion through small details depending on the lack of specialization of people..
For example, if you renovated the mosque of Sayyeda Nafisa using wood, he said that it would have been better to use marble.
If you used marble, he said it was better to use stone.
If the mosque was decorated using Andalusian inscriptions, he said it was better to resort to the Ottoman style.
If you used the Ottoman style, he said that the Ottomans were invaders!
How can we salute them?
Thus, according to the system « Doukhini Ya Lemona » based on the lack of specialization of the ordinary citizen and his tendency to malice in any government entity because he considers the government responsible for all his problems and crises, and that ridiculing what it does and minimizing it is « the least duty » can be done in the face of provoking some ministers and their inability to communicate with the people..
In fact, everything that the committees of the fugitives said about the mosque of Mrs. Nafisa is pure nonsense and lies paid for by parties disturbed by the revival of religious tourism in Egypt.
Mosques are generally a moral entity, not monuments.
God wants us to build it, not rebuild it.
At the time of the mission, Al-Haram Al-Sharif was a group of rooms in Al-Jareed overlooking its ground plate of dirt where people pray no more than several meters..
Does it make sense to keep it as it is?
Of course not...
The rooms have been demolished and the mosque expanded dozens of times over fourteen centuries, and this applies to other large and great mosques, but the ignorant do not know.
The Chinese proverb says it doesn ’ t matter what color a cat is, whether it ’ s white or black.
It is important to eat rats.
Likewise, I say that I do not care about the method of renewing the shrines of the House as long as it is carried out by specialists..
The important thing is to renew, develop, illuminate, shine, flourish and bring millions of visitors from all over the Islamic world.
And whoever bothers him should go to hell.

This report analyzes the controversy surrounding President Erdogan's decision, focusing on the religious and political criticisms, and provides guidance on addressing tourist concerns diplomatically.

Title:

Content: Erdogan on the World Political Stage, or An Arsonist Posing as a Fireman

127
0

The 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly this past week became a forum to address some global issues plaguing the population of the planet. The main topics, of course, were the Covid pandemic and global warming.

The assembly witnessed the generosity of the US in providing 500 million doses of the Covid vaccine to the developing world and the commitment of the major nations to tend urgently to the dangers of ecological disasters. Even a reticent China pledged to defund coal-operated industries.

The session also provided an opportunity for President Joseph Biden to present a new US direction, shifting from “relentless wars” to “relentless diplomacy.” That statement needs to be seen and analyzed within the context of Foggy Bottom’s containment policy of Russia and challenge to China’s global dominance through soft power.

What interests the Armenians most are the conduct and rhetoric of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Mr. Erdogan’s demeanor and body language exuded one single message to the world community: Turkey has become a world player and has to be treated as such.

Before delving into the regional conflicts, where the Turkish president wore the mantle of peacemaker, Mr. Erdogan addressed two major issues: the inefficacy of the UN Security Council and Islamophobia raging in the West.

In recent years, the UN Security Council has become one of the major foci of Mr. Erdogan. He particularly resents the fact that five major permanent members (the US, the UK, France, Russia and China) retain veto power over vital global issues. He maintains that five members are too few to resolve all problems facing the UN and he believes that the time has come for countries like Turkey to join the elite, very much like his contention that Turkey’s international clout warrants it to join the nuclear club.

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When Mr. Erdogan criticized the West for harboring Islamophobia, he did not realize that the issue could have a boomerang effect. Indeed, the policies and actions of leaders in the Muslim world such as Mr. Erdogan, who weaponize religion and use it as a political tool to meet their ambitions of building a world sultanate, contribute to the generation of Islamophobia. The irony is that Mr. Erdogan’s Turkey uses state-of-the-art weaponry to revive the dark days of Ottoman misrule over former subject nations, many of them inhabited primarily by Muslims, and to harken back to a glorious history of power.

Mr. Erdogan’s AK Party, when it came to power in 2003, reversed Ataturk’s policy of the division of state and religion. The founder of the modern Republic of Turkey had tried to emulate the Western democracies, confining the mullahs to the mosques and emancipating women by eliminating the veil.

Mr. Erdogan, by contrast, banked his political fortunes on the ignorance of fanatical masses and over the years has gradually brought back the marriage of religion and politics.

He was not satisfied by his actions at home and decided to export that policy overseas by funding madrassas in third-world countries to train a new generation of fanatical Islamic youth. He spread his message of hate in Europe as well, encouraging the Muslim citizens there to bask in their separateness and listen to extremist mullahs rather than try to assimilate. As if that were not enough, he asked Muslim families in Europe to bear five children each so as to increase their numbers rapidly, ready for political action when necessary. He also threatened to blow up Russia from within, politicizing and weaponizing Russia’s 25 million Muslim citizens.

Erdogan has refined the scourge of terrorism to build armies of mercenaries to destabilize many countries like Iraq, Syria, Libya and the region of the Caucasus. Therefore, when Mr. Erdogan resorts to using Islam as a political weapon, he should not be surprised that nations targeted by that threat resort to their defenses and one such defense, unfortunately, is the ugly face of Islamophobia.

The Muslim faith, like any other religion, deserves respect, but not its misinterpretation which enslaves women and practices beheadings, amputations and terrorism in other countries.

Christianity, in its turn, had its problems with extremism, weaponizing religion and franchising it in colonial outposts to conquer territories and torture people’s minds in the straightjacket of the Spanish Inquisition as well as the Crusades.

But with the advent of rule of law and democratic form of governance, the Christian world for the most part adopted the separation of church and state.

Erdogan’s party and government are very far from that. The moment Islam is divorced from his policies, his entire value system will collapse and this will dash his imperial dreams.

After exposing major issues troubling him for a long time, Mr. Erdogan began dispensing his cure for almost all the hotspots in the world; for the Cyprus issue, he admonished his Greek interlocutors and advised them to negotiate and work within the realm of international law, never mind that his occupation army has illegally divided that sovereign country into two entities. Once again, he exhorted the use of international law to settle controversies in the eastern Mediterranean while bullying his neighbors by exploring hydrocarbons in their littoral waters. He promised to eliminate terrorist groups in Syria, while the world has come to find out that Erdogan and his government have developed a lucrative business by training and sending into expeditions different Islamic groups. In fact, ISIS was funded and created by Turkey, until the US intervened and destroyed its infrastructure.

Mr. Erdogan called on the international community to restore Syria’s territorial integrity while keeping parts of Syrian territory under his rule. On the Jammu and Kashmir issue, he sided with Pakistan, a hub for terrorism, and a refuge for Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban criminals. Pakistan also is a partner in crime with Turkey and Azerbaijan in their aggression against Armenia. After listening to Erdogan’s remarks, India’s Minister of Exterior Subrahmanyam Jaishankar advised Erdogan “to learn to respect the sovereignty of independent nations.” In the case of Crimea, Erdogan refused to acknowledge the results of the elections in that peninsula. That was a two-pronged policy, with one prong intended to ingratiate himself to President Biden, who holds the same position, and the other to thumb his nose at President Putin, with whom he intends to meet soon in Sochi. Therefore, he plans to negotiate with the latter from the position of power. To further enhance that position, he has recently moved fresh forces into Syria.

Since the US has successfully muzzled the Arab world, Mr. Erdogan has emerged as the sole defender of the Palestinian cause. Although, here again, he soft-peddled history, not to ruffle feathers in Israel, as he did in the past, today, he is eager to mend fences to reach out to the US administration through Israel.

In the past, Mr. Erdogan used to accuse the Chinese government of committing genocide in the Xinjiang province against the Turkic Muslim Uyghurs. This time around, he treaded softly by advising China to solve the issue within the principles of its territorial integrity.

Karabakh was also on Mr. Erdogan’s agenda. Reversing the roles in that conflict, he blamed Armenia for having occupied Azerbaijan’s territory. No one was able to detect any “positive signals” toward Armenia, as mentioned recently by Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

After watching Mr. Erdogan performance at that world forum, turning the issues on their heads, one could only conclude the arsonist was posing as fireman.

Mr. Erdogan arrived in New York with great expectations. The composition of his delegation made clear all his intentions. His delegation included the head of the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Ersin Tatar, because he called on the world community to recognize that entity as a sovereign state. To give credence to his call, he has decided to allocate a section to it in the new 55-story “Turkish Home” or Turkevi Center building erected next to the UN headquarters. He also presided with great fanfare over the opening of that “House.”

Anticipation was great in Turkish political circles because Mr. Erdogan had hinted about a possible meeting with President Biden. That meeting could have counterbalanced Mr. Erdogan’s row with NATO allies, in insisting to retain S-400 missiles from Russia. Also that would justify Turkey’s slaughter of Syrian Kurds allied with the US. But President Biden had no time to meet with him. That summit, along with another meeting with the heads of corporate America would have boosted investments in Turkish economy. Like President Biden, the heads of major US companies shied away from meeting with Erdogan.

We should be reminded that Mr. Biden had called Erdogan an “autocrat” before his election and had called on America to help his opposition topple him.

Mr. Erdogan complained that he had worked well with all US presidents during his 19-year rule but, he added, “I can’t say that we started well with Mr. Biden.”

The coolness towards Mr. Erdogan and his actions around the world was manifest also in other signals; for example, the call by France and the US to resume negotiations on the Karabakh conflict, which Turkey and Azerbaijan assume has been resolved through the application of force.

Also, in the congratulatory message sent by President Biden to Prime Minister Pashinyan, on the 30th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, Mr. Biden did not need to take the extra step of reassuring Armenia that Washington will work towards the release of Armenian POWs from Azerbaijani prisons.

The only meeting which was held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly was between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Çavusoglu. That meeting lasted for one hour and dealt with the crises in Afghanistan, Syria and Karabakh.

In an article published in Al Monitor, Cengiz Çandar writes: “For Erdogan, his priority is to boost his dwindling image in Turkey. His survival until the elections in 2023, centenary of the foundation of Turkey, is the most pressing issue in his personal and political agenda. Thus, every step he takes and every statement he makes aims to advance that political agenda. His visit to New York was no exception in this regard. Yet, he did not achieve much despite the expectations of his team before the visit.”

It is very apparent that Mr. Erdogan’s policy of independent actions has backfired; his bid to join the European Union has failed and today the US is giving him the cold shoulder. His alienation from Europe and NATO may provide some comfort to the Kremlin but Mr. Erdogan cannot stretch his leash too far from Washington. As he returns home, he has too much to consider.

Mr. Çandor concludes his article with the following statement: “In terms of Erdogan’s image within Turkey, his New York performance seemingly failed to create much impact, neither positively nor negatively. However, what international observers should not miss is that the visit, once more, confirmed the over-broadening wedges between Turkey and the Western world.”

The reason Mr. Erdogan was able to get away with murder thus far was because he could manipulate opposing powers against each other. That flexibility seems to have hit a snag.

His pompous ceremony at the dedication of the “Turkish House” with a prayer by a mullah invited from Turkey and his tumultuous motorcades around Manhattan have amounted to very little, if anything, of concrete significance.

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If The Earthquake In Turkey Topples Erdogan Democratically, What Will He Do To Retain Power And What Happens To The Region: Israel, Saudi, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Europe?

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The devastating earthquake in Southern Turkey (and Syria) on February 6 also severely damaged President Erdogan's prestige and his chances of retaining power in the upcoming May 14 elections. That is if he allows the popular vote to determine the outcome freely. Much of the world knows why he's in trouble despite his lock on the national media. Some 50,000 dead on both sides of the border thus far, millions displaced, 156,000 buildings destroyed - the horror compounded by the corruption, incompetence and vindictiveness of officialdom. The notorious earthquake tax which was levied to ensure safe construction, instead, disappeared into the pockets of government cronies. Cheaply constructed buildings pancaked along street after street in multiple towns and cities. Amnesty laws had allowed owners to pay fines to dodge the rules. The fines went up the corruption pyramid as customary in Erdoganistan. A terrific recent article on the situation by Turkiye expert Henry J. Barkey of the Council On Foreign Relations details the current scenario .

Barkey's article is titled “Erdogan Is In Danger”; he like many other commentators believes this could be the end for Turkey's strongman populist leader. And though Barkey mentions that Erdogan and his AK party might cheat in the May parliamentary/presidential elections, he doesn't explore the situation fully, especially the regional and geostrategic repercussions of internal troubles. That's what this column is about. Neither Erdo nor his party can afford to lose power. Losing power means ultimately losing control over information – they are likely to be lynched in their homes when the full scale of kleptocracy, some two decades worth, begins to leak out. The military won't protect them, sore as it still is about being persecuted down the years. So the regime will try to hold on to power by any means - which could result in a melt-down of civic order sooner rather than later. Certainly, Erdogan's leverage will be severely diluted. But he will find a way.

One problem is that, still, the opposition is arguably not ready for prime time. It has already scarcely survived a divisive crisis just days ago. The leaders of the two rival opposition parties did agree to unite finally but we shouldn't forget that Erdo built his sway by fracturing them incessantly, and we can expect a relentless blizzard of pseudo-scandals against them in the media. It won't work; the country won't stomach barefaced government manipulation with the devastation still so fresh. We've seen inklings of the mood: pro-government attempts at politicizing the salvage process ignited fury on the ground. Blocking relief from foreign groups, trying to monopolize the aid deliveries, blaming opposition municipalities – all got instant pushback. Meanwhile, the President's favorite international bogeys, the countries he likes to blame for all ills – US, Israel, Greece, Europe, Sweden (for supposedly harboring Kurdish 'terrorists') and the like, all sent hardworking relief teams and supplies before Ankara could get its own act together. No more weaponizing of xenophobia to distract from his failures.

What then will Erdo resort to? Various businessmen and building owners have been arrested. Expect him to redirect public anger, sacrifice a few oligarchs perhaps. It won’t suffice. He will try to rally the country around him as the only hope for order. Too late for that. He will flood the devastated areas with money – the Saudis have just deposited $5 billion in Turkey's central bank to signal their support (more about that later). He will certainly mess with voting infrastructure and ballot counts, as he's often done in Kurdish areas, by making election centers scarce and hard of access in opposition areas and man them exclusively with loyalists. The most affected provinces in Turkiye were hitherto largely pro-AKP. He can kiss farewell to those votes. In short, any finessing that results in victory for him or his AK party, however close, will engender outrage. Even if he 'wins', he will have lost. No, Erdogan's only option, if he's to avoid massive civil strife, is to continue ruling through some form of ultra-powerful shadowy back-seat-driving role.

Crazy as that sounds, it has precedent in the region. Just to the north, in the Republic of Georgia, an unelected eminence grise figure (Bidzina Ivanishvili) has run the country for ten years from behind the scenes. As Georgia's richest oligarch, with infinite access to funds and influence from Moscow, he has puppeteered the political process minutely, even by flooding voters with cash prior to elections. The capital, Tbilisi, and its parliament square is currently roiling with protest but to what effect? He can't exactly resign from a post he doesn't occupy. There's no legal or concrete recourse for the public. This is the kind of role Erdogan will aim for. He owns the economy through oligarchs. Ditto the media. His appointees dominate the police, judiciary and prisons. Plus the religious and educational institutions. The army is cowed and supine. What is there left that could trouble him? The people? Well, yes, but he will hang on to the bitter end.

In a 'managed democracy' like Turkey hitherto under Erdogan, as in Russia, Georgia, Hungary, Venezuela and elsewhere, cronyism works like a web where the component parts depend on each other to function at all. The police arrest popular opposition leaders, the judiciary arrests them, the media dutifully smears them. Everyone is implicated in each others' crimes. All bosses depend on Erdogan's patronage. Crony oligarchs amass zillions, depend on the leader's stability and favor, help fund him to retain power to employ officials, judges, broadcasters, university chancellors, banks, hospitals. The entire civil service is packed with loyalists. A new government will need to purge vast numbers of people, dispossess kleptocrat-managers, starting from the top down. In short, with Erdogan gone, Turkiye's institutions could suffer severe tremors, at least in the short term. L'etat c'est moi, as Louis XIV said. That bodes ill for domestic stability – and equally for continuity in regional relations.

Now, left to itself, Turkey can get through such upheavals as the loss of Erdogan at the helm. It has weathered such crises before, not least via transient military coups, but there's too much at stake strategically at this juncture for outside players merely to stand back and watch. A chaotic Turkey would threaten regional, even global, stability. A whiff of chaos, economic meltdown, capital flight, tourism collapse, and you can see real trouble ahead. Which is why the Saudis made such a substantial early deposit in the central bank as a stabilizing vote of confidence. And why they just acted to restore diplomatic relations with Iran. Yes with Iran. Imagine that. The Saudis. After all this time. What could prompt such a weird initiative suddenly? The prospect of meltdown in Turkey is surely one big reason. Why? Because Erdogan had united with Israel to fortify Azerbaijan as a northern distraction to Iran, thus helping the Saudi struggle against the mullahs. Soon he may not have the discretion to make such decisions.

A lot of foreign powers would like Erdogan to keep sway in some form, because they're invested in his policies. Israel too would like Turkey to keep supporting Azerbaijan militarily to distract Iran from the north. Europe likes Ankara's policies of absorbing Syrian refugees. Erdogan's forward diplomacy in Central Asia – military guarantees to the Uzbeks and Kazakhs - is displacing Moscow's hegemony. The US likes that. The Saudis, just yesterday enemies of Erdogan, today need his robust pro-Sunni belligerence to counteract Iran's Shiite empire building. All this could change if the regime changes in Turkey. Opposition leaders have made noises about reversing Erdo's past constitutional machinations – they aim to move power from the Presidency back to parliament. That means a return to process and internal haggling before any decision gets made. Which also means no more simple unilateral deal-making with one man.

Let us consider the effect on Russia and Ukraine. Ankara just decided to block the sanctions-busting passage of goods to Russia through Turkey. What took them so long and why now? Erdogan's past equivocations on sanctions allowed him to keep Putin semi-happy while, at the same time, provocatively supplying Ukraine with war-drones. It also meant huge amounts of dark funds in Turkish bank coffers and oligarch yachts in marinas around Bodrum spending money. Lots of Ruski tourists and draft-dodging emigres, up to 19,000 a day last summer on the Med coast. Windfall for Turkey's economy. You will notice that there's no resolution to freeze Russian accounts especially coming via other countries. But, in the run-up to elections, Erdogan wants to avoid hostile US actions on his sanctions-busting, anything that would shake the economy, like embargoes on guilty Turkish banks. So he has thrown a sop to Cerberus by closing the goods-transiting loophole, said to benefit Turkiye some $738 million a month or more.

This is what happens when kleptocracies achieve state capture. They're not good at weathering cataclysms; the resulting power transitions become highly explosive. For the Soviet Union it was Chernobyl. For Turkey, the earthquake's biggest aftershock may be regional and global.

PersuasionErdoğan Is In Danger

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

## Background on the Controversy

The Hagia Sophia, originally built as a Byzantine cathedral in 537 CE, was converted into a mosque following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453.

How did the role of Hagia Sophia change following the Ottoman conquest?

Sultan Mehmed II converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque,

Hagia Sophia became a central Islamic religious site for centuries

What was the original historical and cultural significance of Hagia Sophia in the Byzantine Empire?

Served as the central church of Byzantine Christianity,

When was Hagia Sophia built and under whose rule?

In 1935, under Turkey's secular founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, it was designated as a museum, symbolizing Turkey's modern, secular identity.

Title:

Content: October 1, Saturday | Last update — 17: 57 | vz.ru
Sections
Bulgarian deadlock for Russia
Vadim Trukhachev, political scientist, candidate of historical sciences, associate professor of RSUH
Everything suggests that in Bulgaria there was and remained a huge gap between the opinion of the people and the behavior of the authorities.
Potentially, people seem to be not against Russia, but often vote for Russophobic parties.
Details...
Washington drives vassals to war
Vladislav Isaev, political scientist
NATO ’ s announcement of a tough response to attacks on European infrastructure, which so surprised the public, is likely not referring to past sabotage, but to the future.
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Financial panic in Russia inflated from Ukraine
Alexander Razuvaev, Independent Stock Analyst
To give in to panic is definitely to do bad to yourself and to society.
Early withdrawal of the deposit is a loss of interest, plus queues at ATMs and to the bank ’ s operators, as well as other inconveniences.
Details...
Both Nord Stream pipelines have been shut down.
Three gas leaks were detected on the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines.
European officials believe sabotage is one of the most likely causes of damage.
In Sweden reported two powerful explosions in the areas of emergency
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At school № 88 in Izhevsk, a neo-Nazi shot 13 people
On Monday morning, the attacker staged a shooting at school No. 88 in Izhevsk, after which he committed suicide.
According to the Investigative Committee, the man was dressed in a black T-shirt with Nazi symbols and a balaclava.
According to the latest data, 13 people were killed, including seven children.
Details...
In the former Ukraine held referendums on joining Russia
On Friday, referendums on joining Russia began in the Donetsk and Lugansk People ’ s Republics, as well as in the liberated territories of Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.
The participants of the vote are sure that only Russia can bring peace.
Voting will last until September 27
Details...
21: 02
own news
Center for the restoration of books decided to create in Kirov
Prospects for the creation of a regional center for the restoration of books on the basis of the A. I. Herzen library were discussed by the Minister of Culture of Russia Olga Lyubimova with the head of the Kirov region Alexander Sokolov.
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8: 39 PM
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In the Tver region planned celebrations in honor of the 350th anniversary of Peter I
Events in honor of the 350th anniversary of the birth of Peter I in 2022 were included in the list of cultural development of the Upper Volga region, the government of the Tver region reported, where they considered the implementation of the national project “Culture ”.
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7: 30 PM
own news
Named the timing of the creation of model libraries in the Stavropol region
Model libraries will be opened in Gratitude, Georgievsky and Levokum districts of Stavropol in 2022 under the national project “Culture ”, said the Minister of culture of the region Tatyana Likhacheva.
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Operates with the financial support of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation
NEWS OF THE HOUR: the Ministry of Defense explained the withdrawal of troops from the Red Liman
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Gazprom confirmed the stop of supply through Austria
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Rudkovskaya estimated the cost of the castle Pugacheva in the village of Gryaz
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Why Europe is afraid of new explosions of gas pipelines
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Western mercenaries lured to Ukraine with a double tariff
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Diversions on the “Nord Stream ” brought the world closer to global conflict
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Alexey Tokarev: What awaits those who left and did not leave
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Bulgarian deadlock for Russia
Vadim Trukhachev
political scientist, candidate of historical sciences, associate professor of RSUH
1 October 2022, 16: 57
Bulgaria is rightly considered one of the most loyal EU and NATO states to Russia.
So, in a recent survey, 38% of Bulgarians said bad about our country.
This is a lot, but in other EU countries the figures are much higher.
So at least to some extent the factor of kinship of languages, faith and the common alphabet still works.
And a large (until recently) number of Russian tourists regularly replenishing the Bulgarian treasury, also contributed to the fact that Bulgarian society did not become Russophobic.
The current Bulgarian president, Rumen Radev, who was re-elected last year for a second term, is often referred to in the West as an “agent of the Kremlin. ”
And all because he called for an end to the wave of rampant Russophobia, doubted the effectiveness of sanctions and recognized Russia ’ s right to Crimea.
However, before him, this post was held by a frank Russophobic Rosen Plevneliev, who agreed to the fact that Russia is allegedly going to unleash a hybrid war in the Balkans.
So the picture with the Bulgarian presidents is also ambiguous.
But the main power in Bulgaria still belongs to the government, which is formed by the results of parliamentary elections.
In this case, the election on October 2.
It will be the fourth in less than two years.
So, last year the Bulgarians had already three times to come to the urns.
There is no guarantee that you will not have to vote again soon.
But for Russia, there is clarity in any outcome and any frequency of Bulgarian elections.
A pro-Russian politician will definitely not be at the head of the cabinet.
One of the contenders for the victory is the social-liberal party “Continue the changes ”, which, according to polls, should take second place.
Its leader is former prime minister Kiril Petkov, who was left behind in August.
He spent much of his life in Canada, his wife and children holding Canadian passports (and he himself held it until he became head of government).
His policy is completely pro-Western.
Now he has a chance to return to his former place of work, and it is clear that this does not bode well for Russia.
Just remember what happened to Petkov when he was prime minister.
During this time, Bulgaria refused long-term supplies of Russian gas and began secretly (because the people as a whole are against) arming Ukraine.
The apotheosis of all was a spy scandal, when the Bulgarian authorities decided to expel 70 Russian diplomats from the country at once.
This decision was not supported by the president, some ministers.
When he resigned, Petkov blamed the Russian ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova for all his troubles.
The favorite of the elections, as for many years in a row, remains the conservative pro-European party “Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria ” (GERB).
Its leader, long-time Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, accused of links with the mafia, is pretty tired of many.
No one wanted to join the coalition last year.
But it is possible that this time someone will change his mind, and he will return to his usual work since 2009.
But in this case, Russia should tense up, and wait for the next tricks.
Under Prime Minister Borisov, Russian-Bulgarian relations deteriorated significantly – so that Petkov came to a good “fertilized ” soil.
On his initiative, the construction of a nuclear power plant in Belen with the participation of Rosatom failed.
The Burgas – Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, through which Russian oil was supposed to flow from Bulgaria to Greece, has sunk into oblivion.
Finally, it was Borisov who buried the South Stream gas pipeline.
However, he later regretted this, and joined the “Turkish stream ”.
We can also recall the other actions of Borisov.
Thus, under him, in the military doctrine of Bulgaria, Russia was openly recognized as a threat.
Spy scandals also happened with him – albeit not on such a scale as this year.
The apotheosis of all became the historical "discoveries" of Bulgarian officials.
Thus, the liberation of the country in 1878 was attributed to the Romanians, Poles, Finns and Lithuanians.
And the liberation of Bulgaria by the Red Army in 1944 Borisov generally refused to consider such.
So whichever of the two parties wins, it will be a choice of two evils.
And for sure there will be two more parties in the government – the right-wing liberal Democratic Bulgaria and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, representing the interests of the Turkish minority.
They are guaranteed to pass to parliament, gaining (according to polls) in the amount of about 20% for two.
Both are extremely hostile to Russia.
There is a chance to get into the parliament and the government and another thoroughly pro-Western party “Get Up, Bulgaria! ”.
The former ruling Socialist Party and the party of TV presenter Slavi Trifonov “There is such a people ” are more inclined to cooperate with Russia.
But the second party still needs to get into parliament - it is teetering on the verge of passing four percent.
At best, they will enter the government, but will not greatly affect its work.
At worst, they will remain in opposition.
And they can not be called pro-Russian, because both see the basis of policy in Bulgaria in the membership of the EU and NATO.
Unless they are anti-Russian.
Unambiguously loyal to Russia can be considered two right-wing conservative parties – “Revival ” and“ Bulgarian Sunrise ”, and the second also balances on the verge of a passage barrier.
Both are clearly Euroscepticism and Russophilism.
However, their limit is 12-15% for two, and the fate of the “deaf ” opposition.
More can be achieved only if the Euro-Atlantic governments bring the country to a very complete collapse.
We will see if it comes at the end of the first winter with no Russian gas.
Everything suggests that in Bulgaria there was and remained a huge gap between the opinion of the people and the behavior of the authorities.
Potentially, people seem to be not against Russia, but often vote for the parties of Borisov or Petkov, or do not come to vote at all.
As a result, we will get, if not extremely hostile, then frankly unfriendly Bulgaria.
And so far, nothing suggests that the picture will change in the coming years.
In order to bring about a radical change in Bulgarian politics, Russia will include its “soft power ”.
But to do this in the current circumstances is extremely problematic, although there is a considerable demand in Bulgarian society.
It will be opposed by the EU and NATO countries, which give Bulgarians jobs at home.
In addition, a generation that remembers the times of socialism is gradually leaving.
And they are replaced by those for whom Russia is at best a supplier of generous tourists, but certainly not a reference point, and not an example to follow.
Even if the Bulgarians freeze in the winter.
Therefore, the conclusion regarding the Russian prospects in the Bulgarian direction is unambiguous: we are waiting for a dead end.
Whatever the name of the head of the Bulgarian government.
© 2005 - 2021 Business Newspaper Vzglyad LLC
E-mail: information @ vz.ru
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What was the significance of Hagia Sophia's conversion into a museum in 1934?

Symbolized Turkey's secular reforms under Ataturk

The 2020 reconversion back to a mosque by President Erdogan has sparked international debate.

## Key Criticisms of the Conversion

### Religious Undertones and Secularism

1.

**Reversal of Secular Principles**: The conversion is seen as a reversal of Ataturk's legacy of separating religion from state affairs.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

According to the context documents, Erdogan's AK Party, when it came to power in 2003, "reversed Ataturk's policy of the division of state and religion.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

" The founder of modern Turkey had tried to "emulate the Western democracies, confining the mullahs to the mosques.

What was the significance of Hagia Sophia's conversion into a museum in 1934?

Symbolized Turkey's secular reforms under Ataturk

What was the significance of Hagia Sophia's conversion into a museum in 1934?

Symbolized Turkey's secular reforms under Ataturk

"

2.

**Weaponization of Religion**: Critics argue that Erdogan has "banked his political fortunes on the ignorance of fanatical masses" and has "gradually brought back the marriage of religion and politics.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

" The documents suggest that Erdogan uses religion as "a political tool to meet his ambitions of building a world sultanate.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

"

3.

**Impact on Interfaith Relations**: The conversion has been viewed by some as prioritizing Islamic heritage over the site's Christian history, potentially alienating Christian visitors and those who value the site's multi-religious significance.

How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

Who was angered by the reconversion of Hagia Sophia in July 2020?

### Political Motivations

1.

**Nationalist and Imperial Ambition