Displaying items by tag: culture ministry

The culture and sports ministry, in an announcement on Thursday, welcomed the happy outcome of a lengthy investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York, which has resulted in the return of 47 stolen antiquities to Greece. During the case it was proved that, among the thousands of items from various cultures in a collection owned by Michael Steinhardt, one of the largest art collectors in the world, 180 were the products of antiquities trafficking and illegally exported from their countries of origin.

Another obstacle lying before the iconic Helleniko privatization went by the wayside on Wednesday, as a new composition of members of the influential Central Archaeological Council (KAS) unanimously approved of a change in a ministerial decision - taken by the previous SYRIZA government - loosening previously Draconian licensing procedures.  

"There was little provision for the exclusion of the monuments in 2016," said Minister of Culture Myrsini Zorba, adding, "I suppose [former minister] Ms. Koniordou made a deal with the culture ministry, but I do not know it." Ms Zorba was referring to state property added to the fund allowing property to be placed as collateral against obligations to lenders.