Ankara’s decision to convert the Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque challenges historical memory, said Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

According to her, Hagia Sophia, a monument of universal character, belongs to humanity and the world's cultural heritage, TASS reported.

It is a symbol of Orthodoxy and the entire Christian world, she noted adding that this step inflicts a serious blow on its relations with Greece, the European Union, and the international community.

PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis said earlier Friday that Greece strongly condemns Turkey’s decision over Hagia Sophia.

According to the PM, this move will affect not only Turkey’s relations with Greece but also its relations with the EU, UNESCO, and the world community as a whole.

Greece also called this step of Turkey an "open provocation to the civilised world".

"The nationalism displayed by Erdogan... takes his country back six centuries," Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in a statement.

According to her, this court ruling "absolutely confirms that there is no independent justice" in Turkey