Herod Atticus for rent only
A complex web of debts and the Hellenic Festival’s inability to move ahead with its program for the summer of 2006 prompted the relevant ministers (Giorgos Alogoskoufis of Finance, Fanni Palli-Petralia of Tourism and Giorgos Voulgarakis of Culture) to meet with festival chief Giorgos Loukos on Wednesday to clear the matter up once and for all. The good news is that following a special debt-settlement arrangement for the Hellenic Festival, its events will go ahead as usual at the Herod Atticus Theater and the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus after fears that these venues would not be put to use. Also of note from the meeting was the decision that the Herod Atticus will now not be used by other organizations unless they pay rent. This move will help increase the Culture Ministry’s revenues after years of weak finances because of inequitable practices. However, the decision will likely irritate groups who have grown accustomed to using the Roman theater free of charge for years. Voulgarakis now wants to settle how much these organizations should be charged to use the ancient theaters, sources say.
