Greece: archaeologists protest against the aggression of a colleague

ATHENS (AP) — State-employed archaeologists in Greece staged a strike on Tuesday to protest an assault by one of their colleagues in charge of the resort town of Mykonos, which may be linked to commercial pressure to develop the development of tourism.

Archaeologist Manolis Psarros was beaten by an unidentified man, possibly with an accomplice, in Athens last week and left lying unconscious and bleeding in the street. The 53-year-old man was taken to a public hospital in the Greek capital.

Archaeologists from the Ministry of Culture staged a five-hour strike to protest what their association called a “mafia attack”.

“The personal life (…) of our colleague does not justify such a criminal attack and we link it directly to the cases he handled on the island of Mykonos,” said Despina Koutsoumba, head of the association of archaeologists, during an online press conference. Monday.

“In the performance of his duties, he had uncovered serious cases of violation of archaeological and environmental laws and coastal zone (protection) laws.”

Employees of the Ministry and the Association of Archaeological Conservators joined the demonstration.

Building permits in Greece can often be vetoed by the local archaeological authority, responsible for conserving ancient heritage.

Mykonos is one of the best-known holiday destinations in Greece and has an archaeological museum. It is a neighbor of the small uninhabited island of Delos, an ancient commercial, religious and political center considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece.

The Culture Ministry condemned the assault and Mykonos Mayor Constantinos Koukas said it was a “flagrant criminal attack that shocked us all”.