Greek government accused of planning to sell archaeological sites and museums

The Society of Hellenic Archaeologists has accused the country’s so-called “radical-leftist” government of planning to sell several heritage monuments and museums to foreign investors.

The palace of Knossos for sale? [Credit: Naftemporiki]

According to the archaeologists a list of monuments including the archaeological site of Knossos, the Venetian walls of Heraklion, the Byzantine walls and Rotunda of Thessaloniki, and several archaeological museums are ‘hidden’ in the 10,119 asset codes transferred to the Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations (HCAP), the so-called ‘privatisations superfund’.

They argue that the move is unprecedented in the history of managing Greece’s cultural heritage and warn that it will stir up strong reactions both domestically and abroad.

Greek opposition parties, headed by New Democracy, have called on the government to officially reveal which archaeological sites and other public properties have been transferred to the ‘superfund’.

“The archaeological sites and museums of our country do not belong either to Mr. Tsipras nor Mr. Tsakalotos. Greece’s heritage is not for sale,” the New Democracy party said in a statement.

Despite pledges to the contrary made by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras made after the crucial summit on Greece in 2015, ND said, the government had signed off on the transfer of 10,119 real estate assets to HCAP on June 19, through a decision taken by Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos.

“The minister’s decision refers to a second 84-page decision issued by the Council for Economic Policy, with the same date, that includes only tables with 10,119 land registry codes,” the statement said.

This was followed by complaints, reports and questions tabled in Parliament in September about the “secret” handover of state property throughout Greece to the superfund, including museums, court houses, local authority buildings, sports grounds and public spaces, as well as symbolic buildings linked to the history of their location.

Despite the fact that the Ministry of Culture has tried to downplay the issue by insisting that “properties of archaeological interest are not for sale”, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Finance confirmed that some monuments and archaeological sites had infact been “accidentally” included in the list of properties to be transferred to the HCAP.

Source: AMNA [September 22, 2018]

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