The Deputy Culture Minister of the Hellenic Republic Petros Tatoulis anounced today that he expects the work on the Acropolis restoration to end by late 2006. He also anticipates that the New Acropolis Museum will complete at around the same time (which is what its current deadline is, assuming that the problems with the contractors unpaid taxes do not delay it further.)

From:
Athens News Agency

Wednesday 20, July 2005
Deputy culture minister Tatoulis: Restoration work on Acropolis to be completed by end-2006

Deputy culture minister Petros Tatoulis said Wednesday that restoration and other work on the Acropolis would be completed by the end of 2006, keeping with the relevant timetables.

During a visit to the Acropolis archaeological site, Tatoulis was briefed on the course of works on the monument under the 2004-2005 programme.

He said that everything was proceeding in according with the relevant timetables, and therefore the works would be completed and most of the scaffolding removed by the end of next year.

The deputy minister said that the continous funding from national resources and the EU’s Third Community Support Framework (CSF) ensured continuation of the works at an undiminished pace, as well as the commencement of new, more detailed work involving several of the monuments.

He also anticipated that work on the new Acropolis Museum would also be completed by end-2006, clarifying that problems that existed with the contract with the contractor selected for the project (under the preceding PASOK government) were being constantly consistently dealt with by the ministry leadership, aiming at completion of the museum.