NEWS

Matters remain pending but hope is still alive

«There are matters outstanding, mainly to do with completing the process of signing contracts for all the scheduled activities in the cultural program,» said interim artistic director Alexis Alatsis, the man chosen to save the situation when Mikroutsikos announced his resignation. «But,» he added, «there are other pending matters that are associated with the attempt to enrich and broaden the program.» Crowd pleasers When we tell him that the program lacks one or two crowd-pleasing events that the former artistic director may have been ready to announce, he tells us that «such events must be included in the program, not only because they are crowd pleasers but because they corresponded to the public’s justifiable expectations from an event of such magnitude that will, of course, cater to all ages. I hope the negotiations will soon be completed so they can be announced in full detail.» There is no likelihood of cooperation with Mikroutsikos, because, as Alatsis admits, «there is no communication.» As for the day after, we ask executive committee coordinator Christos Roilos. He prefers to see the glass half full: «Cultural Capital of Europe 2006, Patras 2006, is the biggest investment in culture ever made in Achaia. The refurbishment of the venues for artistic events and the creation of infrastructure that will remain in the city after 2006 are the right foundation for the further cultural development of the area. Likewise, the program of events is designed so that each theme can become an independent festival after 2006.»

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