Funding the excavations and promoting the mysterious ancient tomb of Amphipolis, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras had an inner desire: to see the area blooming and attract thousands if not millions tourists every year. Growth and development and revenues at full speed.
And, indeed. Samaras’ wish seems to come into fulfillment, as not only the whole world shows immense interest to the progress of excavations, and millions of tourists are eager to come to the area. Thousands of investors bombard the mayor of Amphipolis with requests to open businesses near by.
But, hey! Do not imagine hotels and infrastructure works like roads or port facilities, or stores selling souvenirs with red-hair Persephone abducted by Hades.
The investment plans are rather modest:
4,000 businessmen submitted applications in order to get license and open souvlaki grills and canteen diners.
To Vima online noted that international TV-crews and newspapers journalists rushing to Amphipolis do the work they have to do and go to spend the night in Thessaloniki or nearby Kavala.
Inspired by the future 4,000 souvlaki grills, some of the usual mean Greeks claimed that the grills will have names like “Persephone’s kebab”, “Amphipolis’ gyros” or “the skewer of growth”.
On Monday, Greek Culture Minister Konstantinos Tasoulas revealed the cost of excavations from 2010-2014: proud 590,000 euro!
2010: €20,000
2011: €80,000
2012: €100,000
2013: €90,000
2014: €150,000
National Bank of Greece and some state-run enterprises also sponsored the excavations with a total of €210,000.
PS No, I resist the temptation to comment on how this money could be used for the poor and needy. It’s the Culture, idiot!
The full mosaic revealed!
