The Educational Affairs Committee of the Parliament voted “by majority” in favor of sanctioning the Latsis donation, amounting to 40 million euros, to finance the studies of the expansion of the National Archaeological Museum. Specifically, on the bill entitled “Sanction of the donation contract between the Ministry of Culture and the legal entity under public law with the name “National Archaeological Museum”, as beneficiaries, and Spyridon I. Latsis and Dorothy nee S. Latsis, as donors , regarding the financing, on behalf of the donors, of the preparation of studies for the upgrade and expansion of the building that houses the National Archaeological Museum”, the ND and the “Spartiates” voted “yes”, the KKE “no”, while they reserved for the plenary session the other parties.

The expansion of the National Archaeological Museum is part of the program statements of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis from 2019, so that it can respond to modern museum requirements, but also contribute to the revitalization of this area of ​​Athens, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in her speech . He even noted that the 6,000 square meters of the existing museum are not sufficient for the proper display of its exhibits, nor for the number of visitors that are systematically increasing, and which reached 115,000 in the first quarter of 2024, from 99,000 in the corresponding quarter of 2023.

Referring to the issue of the architectural competition for the extension of the Museum, Mrs. Mendoni said that ten architectural ideas were submitted by ten architectural schemes, each of which consisted of a foreign architectural office and a Greek architectural office. As he noted, all ten foreign offices not only had experience in museum architecture, but, in addition, had been awarded international awards specifically for the design of museum spaces. He also pointed out that the international committee that evaluated the submitted ideas “unanimously chose” the architectural draft prepared by the partnership of the internationally recognized architectural offices “David Chipperfield Architects” based in Berlin and “Alexandros Topazis and Associates Architects S.A.” based in Athens.

He even emphasized that the draft law seeks to ratify the contract by which Spyros Latsis and his wife undertook to finance, exclusively at their own expense and without any burden on the Greek public, the Ministry of Culture and the Museum, the preparation of all the studies required in order for the architectural draft of Chipperfield – Topazis to develop into an application study – tender documents, so that it is constructionally possible.

Specifically, according to the contract that is coming up for ratification, the donors undertook the obligation to finance with an amount of up to 40 million euros the preparation of all the studies required as well as the issuance of the building permit, as well as the preparation of the application study and the tender documents which will then be used to tender the construction of the building in accordance with the specifications and tender procedures of the Greek government.

It is obvious, underlined Mrs. Mendoni, that in order to ask the donors for 40 million we have overestimated the cost of the studies and there is no concern that there will be a cost overrun.

“This is an extremely generous act and a unique donation to the Greek culture. This is the generosity of the Greeks and it obviously annoys the opposition even when the private, which is “abhorrent”, is in the interest of the Greek public” said the lady Mendoni responding to a related criticism of members of the committee.

Subsequently, the Minister of Culture said that the preparation of the studies will be completed within 36 months while “consultation has been made with the scholars” and “we know that they can” complete them in this time, noted the Minister of Culture.

The only contribution from the ministry, he said, “will be the naming of a central hall of the finished building, which will be given the name “Ioannis and Erietta Latsis”. This is not a practice followed abroad, this is known, the retribution to the benefactor, already from ancient Greece, from ancient Athens” remarked the Minister of Culture.

The minority rapporteur, SYRIZA-PS member of parliament Kyriaki Malama, noted the risk that both the expansion of the Museum and the donation would be blown up, due to the appeals to the Council of State. As he said, there was an “opaque” architectural competition process with only ten participants, chosen by the government. However, he noted as a positive element that the copyright of the studies will be the property of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

PASOK’s buyer, Naya Grigorakou, mentioned the reactions of the architectural community and international bodies to the selection of a closed competition, which “ruled out” the equal participation of Greek architectural offices. Regarding the contract itself, Mrs. Grigorakou said that she herself is positive, subject to anything that arises in the plenary debate.

Such donations are a drop in the ocean of the wealth of the donors, said the buyer of the KKE, Io. Delis, mentioning that the Latsis group acquired Elliniko “almost for free”, as in the past “almost for free” ELPE. The expenses for the Culture infrastructures must be covered by the state, said Mr. Delis, voting against the bill.

The buyer of Hellenic Solution, S. Asimakopoulou, expressed concern about what will happen if there is an overrun in the cost of the study and it exceeds 40 million euros or if the 36-month period stipulated by the contract is exceeded.

The buyer of the New Left, Th. Fotiou, said that she honors the office that won the architectural design competition, however, the government, as she said, gave it the wrong information, while the relevant competition, she said, is “illegal” and has caused reactions and appeals to the Supreme Court.

On behalf of the Niki party, Mr. Sp. Tsironis said that in these difficult times, we must appreciate and welcome donations that contribute to the promotion of the public interest, however he noted that the entire management of the project caused reactions due to the exclusion of the Greek architectural offices.

Finally, the buyer of Plefsis Eleftherias, Sp. Bibilas, wondered why the donation was a condition for making this controversial tender, closed, with the right to participate only ten foreign offices, and the Greek offices could participate, only as partners of the foreigners.