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Dear friends,
This is an update regarding the ordeal of the Ancient monument of Diolkos, the intriguing paved street of 600 BC, over which entire fleets have been transported over the Isthmus of Corinth, Greece. After the excavation of its western end, its initial parts, running parallel to the modern Corinth Canal, were left to decay. The modern tale of Diolkos would be utterly ridiculous, if it weren’t utterly criminal. Justice investigations, started after 1999 (but I don’t exclude there have been even earlier!) produced more lies and hypocrisy.
Please note that MONEY was never really the issue. The Greek State should have protected this unique monument. The Corinth Canal has been quite powerful and it COULD have been made to pay/get funds for any intervention which, after all, has to do with THEIR obligation to keep the Canal in a good shape (you will notice, in the photos and videos, that the banks are disappearing)!!! In 2007, a fund of 300.000 euro, destined to DIolkos by the Ministry of Economy, was not absorbed by the Ministry of Culture – and neither were lesser funds!
As for the Greek Ministry of Culture itself, their non-ending illegalities are hard even to communicate to people. Actually s aying that the Greek Ministry of Culture has not protected Diolkos is a HUGE understatement . The truth is that they have ENSURED the monument’s deterioration through a hoard of illegal behaviours while persistently, invariably and SLYLY trying to cover-up for already committed illegalities!
Suffice it to say that, for long decades now, the Ministry of Culture has been “operating” (=doing nothing =promoting Diolkos’ demolition) on the (hidden) presumption that protecting Diolkos from the sea IS NOT THEIR BUSINESS . In this way they pretend to care for the monument without admiting that what THEY call care does NOT comprise as THEIR task the monument’s protection – a protection they just pretend to “arrange” but they never impose NOR seriously project!!! THIS sly arrangement “permits” them to pretend (at least for in-house reasons and as a nice tale to tell Justice Authorities) that they ARE doing THEIR job!!
The Authorities are never short of promises. They just slide from one (false) promise to another, often not bothering even to make sense!. Every new person in charge pretends to set things straight by pretending to decide this or that (or a new start). Although seemingly addressing the monument’s needs, their decisions REALLY reflect what they think will be asked of them by their critics, the international community or a nosy Judge… After “deciding” they can sit back and relax, confident that they have a piece of official paper that “testifies” their interest for their innocent victim!!!!
Here is Ancient Diolkos:
Please take some moments to “visit” Diolkos in comparative photos (up to 2005 they were unknown to the Authorities that pretended to care and when I PRESSED them on the Ministry, they pretended to use them for the monument’s salvation while actually linking future works to obstacles upon ostacles!)
And here are some short videos exposing the “work” of the Greek Ministry of Culture! I am monitoring the situation, so there will be more videos to show the real condition against the lies of the Authorities…..
On the profile you can find links to other information, including official documents testifying to the incredible “efforts” of the Authorities to penalize the defensless monument
And here is the international petition, already signed by concerned citizens in 116 countries of the world.
Please lend your voice to Diolkos – amidst the renewed promises of the Authorities, this innocent victim continues to suffer!
Thanks for your all your kind help!
Sofia Loverdou
Freelance Science Journalist
Athens, Greece
P.S. A more detailed (but still FAR from complete) account at: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&¬e_id=159386467416231