Greece: museums, archaeological sites closed over strike

On Monday museums and archaeological sites in Greece will be closed to visitors due to a staff strike over a reform of the system proposed by the Culture Ministry, and ensuing job cuts.

According to a statement of the Association of Greek archaeologists, in a bid to allegedly streamline the operations of the ministry, vitally important agencies are to be dispensed with at the General Secretariat for Culture, while other departments are being merged in an "unacceptable manner."

According to the country’s statistical service Elstat, in nine months of last year, archaeological sites and museums were visited by nearly 8 million people.

Revenues from ticket sales brought the treasury 34.4 million euros.