Anastasia Balezdrova
Never mind if people have come from all over the world to see the symbol of Western civilization. Today, thousands of tourists from Europe, Asia, North and South America were very "pleasantly" surprised to find the entrance to the Acropolis firmly closed.
The reason for this was the two-day strike of the employees of the Ministry of Culture, which resulted in the closure of all archaeological sites and museums in the country.
Today, the employees held a protest rally at the Acropolis, in front of the startled tourists who had come, only to find out that the site was closed. They took pictures in front of the metal fences, wondering what exactly the protesting employees were demanding.
"We are from Beijing and we will return to China tomorrow, so we will not be able to come and see the Acropolis. I have no idea why the employees are on strike, but I guess they are not satisfied with their salaries," said a tourist from China, while his wife was filming the protest.
The employees are striking against the introduction of the labour reserve, the reduction of their wages in compliance with the new payroll table, which will apply to the entire public sector, and the merger of services in order to balance costs.
"We will participate in the two-day general strike next week, but we will also engage in other protest actions at ministerial level. Currently, we have not taken a decision, but it is very likely that in addition to Wednesday and Thursday we will hold other protests on Monday and Tuesday. The employee unions will decide."
Tourists did however have the chance to visit the Acropolis Museum, which was open like on any other day. The explanation for this was that it does not belong to the Ministry of Culture and therefore the new measures will not affect its employees.
In a communication, the union of Greek archaeologists also urged the Parliament not to vote on the bill, which will introduce the payroll table and the labour reserve and defined it as a bill that unites and destroys the public sector. Archaeologists urged the Ministry of Culture to do everything they could to exclude them from the labour reserve, following the example of employees in health and education. "Otherwise, the leadership of the Ministry will be responsible for the dismissal of dozens of scientists from the archaeological service, and for disrupting the care of cultural monuments, with all the consequences this could cause."
Disappointed that they could not climb the "sacred hill," the tourists headed to the theatre of Dionysus at the foot of the Acropolis and took pictures there. A tourist guide who led a group of Spanish tourists from a cruise ship told a colleague, "If I were in their place I would leave. They have made a mockery of tourists."
Anyway, they did not have the chance to see the centre of Athens because of the public transport strike and the heavy traffic along the streets. Transport employees held a protest procession to the Ministry of Finance. Employees of the Ministry who were holding an occupation there greeted them, waving flags in solidarity under the big black panel reading "Occupation." Public transport drivers went gradually to Omonia Square and blocked the traffic in the surrounding streets too.
The strike of state hospital workers continues in parallel. They also held a rally at Syntagma Square. Employees in the Ministry of Development occupy the building of the Ministry at Kaningos Square every day. Employees in almost all ministries are protesting similarly against the economic measures.
The 10-day strike by customs officers begins tomorrow and as of yesterday, until October 19, lawyers will not appear in courtrooms following the decisions of their colleagues across the country. Tax officials will hold two 48-hour strikes from October 17 to 20 and bank employees will be on strike on October 18 and 19.
The union of public employees has proposed to the union of private employees that the general strike announced for October 19 be extended to a 48-hour strike, but the final decision will be taken depending on the vote on the bill in Parliament.
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