The Sydney Morning Herald

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Available for rent: The Acropolis, for under $2000 a day
The Sydney Morning Herald

In a move bound to leave many Greeks and scholars aghast, Greece’s culture ministry said Tuesday it will open up some of the debt-stricken country’s most-cherished archaeological sites to advertising firms and other ventures.

The ministry says the move is a common-sense way of helping « facilitate » access to the country’s ancient Greek ruins, and money generated would fund the upkeep and monitoring of sites. The first site to be opened would be the Acropolis.

According to a ministerial briefing dating from the end of December, a commercial firm could rent the Acropolis for a professional photographic shoot for as little as 1600 euros a day ($A1965). Demonstrators could also rent the ancient landmark.

Greece needs every euro it can get. The country’s public coffers are drained and the nation is struggling to avoid a historic debt default in March.

Malheureusement pour les Québécois, je doute que nos ruines (State Olympique, routes, viaducs, ponts, écoles, etc.) puissent être louées pour renflouer les coffres de l’État…