The Association of Greek Archaeologists accuses the Ministry of Culture of opening the way “for the privatization of every aspect and responsibility of the Archaeological Service” with a regulation it is promoting.
In particular, he argues that the ministry is trying to set up Public or Private Legal Entities that will facilitate the undertaking of rescue excavations by private individuals in conflict with the express provision of the Constitution and the Archaeological Law which provides that rescue excavations are carried out only by the Archaeological Service .
That is why SEA requests the withdrawal of these articles as unconstitutional.
In detail, the SEA announcement is as follows:
“The Ministry of Culture plans to open the way for private excavations
The draft law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “Measures for the preservation and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage, the protection and enhancement of the Greek-language song and the orchestral musical performance of the Greek-language song and the protection and diffusion of the Greek language, in the context of the preservation and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage – Arrangements for the modernization of the commercial policy of the Organization for the Management and Development of Cultural Resources and other provisions of the Ministry of Culture»
which is in consultation (until 14/3), is trying to pave the way for the privatization of every aspect and responsibility of the Archaeological Service, bypassing the Constitution and the Archaeological Law, and even without the pain of Parliament’s approval!
Behind the provisions of article 27 of the bill, in combination with the authorizing provisions of article 30, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is trying to institutionalize Legal Entities of Public or Private Law, with administrations appointed by the government, that will be set up specifically to undertake the work of rescuers excavations, and indeed in third party projects. The way is thus opened, so that not only the excavation work and the protection of antiquities, in the context of large public or private projects, will leave the hands of the local Ephorates of Antiquities, but in addition it will be “governed” by appointed Boards of Directors in which they will be able to even the company concerned, public or private, participates. Because the provision – as well as its explanatory statement – is deliberately written in such a way as to obscure what it actually establishes, we make it clear:
– There are currently neither NPDD nor NPID supervised by the Ministry of the Interior that have among their purposes or responsibilities the carrying out of rescue excavations, something that is hidden from both the explanatory report and the draft law. For whom does the Ministry of Culture legislate?
-The draft law concerns NPDD and NPID that will be established in the future. For example, it will be possible to create legal entities on the board of which EYDAP or Attiko Metro or LAMDA development or any company that makes a “strategic” investment participate, and undertake the implementation of rescue excavations, with whatever this means for the protection of antiquities and for the scientific and technical personnel who will work on these projects.
-After cutting off the five major Museums and turning them into NPDDs, the Minister opens the way to cutting off large archaeological sites, such as the Acropolis, Knossos, Aiges, and turning them into NPDDs or even NPIDs.
All of the above is prohibited by the Constitution and the Archaeological Law, now 4858/2021, which expressly provides that rescue excavations are carried out only by the Archaeological Service (indicative: article 7, 37, 40, 43 of Law 4858/2021), ensuring the protection of antiquities, especially those that come to light in the works of third parties.
Article 27 of the draft law of the YPPO, in an unacceptable way, hides the relevant provisions of the Archaeological Law, even though it fraudulently amends them. With article 30, three Ministers are authorized to regulate all of the above by Presidential Decree: in other words, three Ministers are authorized to violate the Constitution!
According to the reports, the Minister of Culture brings “hidden” and “strange” provisions in order not to suffer the pain of the parliamentary debate, as both the provision for the 50+50 year export of antiquities abroad, and the Agreement for the Stern Collection met reactions even in the then ND parliamentary group.
Along with the privatization of tickets and sales of archaeological sites (articles 17-18 of the same bill), the bypassing of ASEP in recruitment (article 19), the Ministry of Culture is ready to sell off every sector of cultural heritage that brings public revenue and to divide until extinction every function of the Archaeological Service that protects antiquities and cultural heritage.
The Board of Directors of the Association of Greek Archaeologists, which met on 11/3/2024, considers the matter very serious for the very existence of the Archaeological Service. We request the withdrawal of these articles as unconstitutional.
The Board of Directors will hold a meeting on 14/3//2024 with other unions to organize joint mobilizations”.
