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Namaz carried in Ani Cathedral is a heavy blow to the European cultural heritage, the director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Hayk Demoyan told reporters today.

He said he is happy the Chairman of Turkey’s “National Movement” Party Devlet Bahceli is limited by namaz only and cannot carry out other rituals as typical to nomads, like “making pyramids from the heads of people or taking a bath in the blood of children”.

According to him, Bahceli has chosen Ani Cathedral on purpose. He said namaz in Ani Cathedral shows that Turkish society is fragmented and it makes decisions using the heritage and historical memories of other nations.

The historian claimed that the nomadic ancestors of Bahceli have come to Anatolia (Western Armenia) through Ani, and when entering Anatolia, thus, Turks made their way to Europe. “For 400 years they were misfortune for Bulgarian people, Greeks, Hungarians,” he said.

Bahceli’s namaz is a blow and a serious challenge to the European cultural heritage, Demoyan said.

“This is a slap to the European civilization, as by annihilating Ani, they also entered Europe and, consequently, this action should receive adequate response not only from Armenia but from Europe as well,” he highlighted.