Minoan palace with… unpaid workers

2023-12-03 19:21:00
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Excavation in the area of ​​Archana. Right, from the visit of the regional governor St. Arnautaki. The photos are out but the workers still remain unpaid

COMMUNITY 03.12.23 19:21 Marios Dionellis

The Region of Crete has been owing salaries to scientists and workers who worked on one of the island’s most important excavations since the summer.

From the Region of Crete, 25 employees, scientific and labor personnel of the excavation that took place in the summer in the area of ​​Archanes are experiencing mockery and discredit. Although they worked hard for two months, they still haven’t been paid for their work, resulting in up to 3,000 euros each being owed, depending on the specialty and the days worked.

What is even more strange is that these people, while they worked on a public project, are paid in “black money”, without sticking stamps, from a fund of the Region of Crete, which was then transferred to the Municipality of Archana Asterousia and from there through a direct assignment to a earthworks contractor, who has also to date not been paid to return workers’ wages. The only money they’ve received is “counter” payments for the first two weeks’ wages in July. These payments were made in cash only for… obvious reasons. However, according to information, this procedure, which moves at the limits of legality, is often followed in excavations throughout Greece that cannot be officially undertaken by the archaeological service but other bodies intervene, such as archaeological schools, institutions, regions, municipalities, etc. .

Regarding the specific excavation in Archanes, its important findings were duly presented to the local press with announcements and a visit by the regional governor Stavros Arnautakis for which a relevant press release accompanied by the relevant photographs was issued. Specifically, on August 24, the regional governor accompanied by the mandated Regional Councilor for Culture, Kostas Fasoulakis, visited the excavation in the Turkish neighborhood of Archana, where the unveiling of the Minoan Palace of the same name continues, and were guided by the excavator in charge, Dr. Efi Sapona – Sakellaraki, about the results of the research. The excavation has attracted the attention of the media not only locally but also outside Crete as the palace, whose form and function are gradually being revealed, is comparable only to that of Knossos in terms of size and quality of construction.

Politics… of culture

As we read in the relevant press release of the Region of Crete, the regional governor informed Mrs. Sakellaraki “about the policy of the Region of Crete in general in the field of Culture and Monuments of Crete”, but without describing whether this policy provides for unpaid workers in the excavation pits . However, he described the joint planning with the Ministry of Culture and the Municipality of Archanes – Asterousia for the creation of a new Archaeological Museum in Archanes (which is also his place of origin) with the aim of highlighting and protecting the important archaeological sites of the region.

Since then, and after this year’s excavation was completed, Ms. Sakellaraki herself has repeatedly addressed both the regional governor and his advisers, asking for the obvious, that is, to pay the archaeologists, conservators and workers who worked there, but only extracting promises and while three months have already passed since the end of the project. On the part of the workers, some of whom are simple wage earners with no other fixed incomes, there is frustration and indignation as we are now in December, Christmas is approaching and their obligations are rushing. Much more, some of them even complain of a climate of extortion, as it was clearly pointed out to them that if they proceed with complaints, they will not work again on archaeological projects financed by the Region of Crete.

The promises workers received at times moved their payment from mid-September and from there to the end of October and then promises were made to pay the amounts in mid-November. “Ef.Syn.” addressed on Friday, December 1st to the services of the Region of Crete from where he received a reply that the issue will be resolved within days and next week the payments will gradually begin.