this is very sad, from both a religious and an artistic standpoint.
I guess I wouldn't expect Muslim or secularized Turks to get the spiritual significance of St. Nicholas, but you'd think that they would at least have some appreciation for a significant historic figure. My Orthodox parish is named for St. Nicholas, and I think for a while at least, when he is commemorated in the liturgy, I'm going to think about those goofballs in Turkey and their plaster Santy. Surreal!