Greece has yet to restore historic mosques on the island of Lesvos, despite mutual agreements and the principle of reciprocity with neighbouring Turkey, according to an expert, mentioned in an article by dailysabah.com
Neval Konuk, an associate professor of architecture history and a lecturer in tourism guiding at Marmara University, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that a deal was signed in 2010 with the municipality of Ayvalık in Turkey’s western Balıkesir province, which borders Lesvos.
According to this agreement, the Greek administration on Lesvos was to restore three historical mosques in exchange for the restoration of three Greek Orthodox churches: Taxiarchis, Agios Yannis, and Ayvalık Ayazma.
“While Ayvalık has fulfilled the agreement and renovated the buildings, Greece is yet to adhere to the deal 14 years later,” Konuk said.
Though Greece and Turkey appear to have opened a fresh leaf in long-tense bilateral relations since last year, the state of Ottoman heritage mosques is a point of contention between the two.
Turkey has criticised Athens in the past for depriving Muslim minorities of rights and letting Ottoman-era buildings, including the mosques, fall into disrepair.
Source: dailysabah.com
