An in-depth report on the “state within a state” operating in Mykonos is published by the British Guardian, in today’s article entitled, “Violence in Greece against efforts to save the ancient heritage of Mykonos”.

The article of the British newspaper takes place on the occasion of the brutal beating of the Archaeologist Manolis Psarrou, on March 8, with the Guardian referring to the characteristics of a “professional beating”.

The Guardian article in detail:

On a dark side street in Athens earlier this month, archaeologist Manolis Psarros was attacked as he walked to his car. It was 8.30 in the afternoon, later than usual for the civil servant returning home from his office in a neoclassical building of the Ministry of Culture below the Acropolis.

“There was a general strike the next day and I had to check my files for Mykonos,” said Psarros, who oversees the Cycladic island. “I remember approaching the car, but after that everything was a blur,” he told the Observer. “All I know is that someone hit me in the head from behind with such force that I lost consciousness.”

When the archaeologist awoke in his hospital bed on March 8, he had broken ribs, a broken nose and eyes so badly bruised that his vision remains impaired.

For the doctors, it was the wounds themselves that spoke volumes: Psarros had clearly been kicked and punched in an attack that bore all the hallmarks of a professional beating. The 52-year-old was lucky to be alive. Almost three weeks later the effects of an attack that might otherwise have gone unnoticed are being felt across Greece.

As police step up their investigations, the focus of the investigation has steadily fallen on Europe’s most famous island, where a building frenzy has put the archaeological service, tasked with protecting Mykonos’ rich cultural heritage, at war with contractors.

In the last decade, Psarros was head of the department that issues building permits on the Aegean island.

“Everything about this attack is indicative of how out of control the situation has become in Mykonos,” says Despina Koutsoupa, who chairs the Association of Greek Archaeologists. “It is clear, as there are no other motives, that this is a mob hit carried out by people who followed Manolis from his job. It involves huge business interests and was aimed at striking fear into the hearts of archaeologists.”

The center-right Greek government seems to agree. From Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to law enforcement and local officials, there was a consensus last week that the lawlessness underlying the illegal construction in one of Greece’s most popular destinations was linked to a crime for which the perpetrators have no yet to be found.

For years, Mykonos has been an international pioneer as a “playground” for the rich – its bars, restaurants and beaches, areas that are increasingly bringing in gigantic profits. But the brutal attack on Pssarros also revealed a dark side: an island seized by vested interests that have come to see the island’s shores as a twilight zone beyond the reach of central government and the long arm of the law.

On Wednesday, as Mitsotakis convened a meeting of senior cabinet ministers to discuss the case, officials openly described Mykonos as a “state within a state”. Giving voice to these concerns, the Greek prime minister warned that public order measures would be enforced. In the coming days, the first of 100 extra security personnel, including police, financial crime investigators, environmental and building inspectors, are expected to fly in. The fight against illegal construction in rural areas, both in Mykonos and in neighboring islands of the Aegean archipelago, will also be intensified.

“There is no island where some people think they are above the law,” Mitsotakis said. “This is a situation that will be dealt with decisively.”

Greece’s community of archaeologists, a group of no more than 1000 people, has long been regarded as the custodian of the country’s extraordinary historical heritage. For many the group of researchers is the last bulwark against the depredations increasingly associated with tourism.

But with the industry accounting for 25% of GDP – and by far the biggest driver of the Greek economy – it’s a delicate balance, ensuring the need for visitors is recognized while preserving the natural beauty that also draws them to the country.

The dramatic return of tourism after the pandemic had not helped. With Greece set for another record season, the worries of archaeologists having to navigate a notoriously slow-moving bureaucracy are of little consequence to investors. Fines imposed on offenders for building villas, hotels and beach bars near or on top of ancient monuments are “nothing” compared to the profits to be made, say locals, who also complain of unregulated island development which has left many unable to enjoy or afford it. In recent years, as Mykonos heads for its own stratosphere, Middle Eastern investors have also moved in, announcing controversial plans to build a tourist village with a harbor capable of docking superyachts.

“We want the state to be an ally for the protection of our island,” the mayor of Mykonos, Konstantinos Koukas, said last week. “We want control mechanisms to be strengthened and of course we disapprove of any threat against government officials. Today it is the archaeologists. Tomorrow it will be us.”

Psarros also wants to return to work once he recovers “because otherwise it would send the wrong message to the perpetrators of the attack.”

Time is precious: last week a female archaeologist in Mykonos was also the target of threatening text messages. “If the government means what it says, it should start demolishing the illegal buildings,” said the head of the Association of Archaeologists, Mrs. Koutsouba, who will join a protest rally outside the Kuka town hall office on Tuesday.

“Right now it is Mykonos, but later it will be some other island. It’s time for action, and that means sending in the bulldozers. It’s the only language anyone will understand. An example must be set, and it must be set now.”