Letter – answer in his article Mr. Anastasiou Tanzis, which was published in “K” on 13 May. send three associations of archaeologists.

It says:

“In the article by Mr. Anastasiou Tanzi, which was published in the digital edition of the newspaper “I Kathimerini” 13V dated May 2023, with the misleading title “Bowling in the Museum”, refers to a discussion the editor had with the staff of the Byzantine Christian Museum on the sidelines of the annual conference of the Christian Archaeological Society, namely during a break from it. The subject of discussion was the implementation of Law 5021/2023, by which the outgoing Government cuts out the five best museums in the country from the Archaeological Service and turns them into NAPs.

In the publication, Mr. Tantzis writes that “At the exit, I was forcibly stopped by a group of 10 people (members of the “Match Committee of the BKM”) with a demand to leave the Board. PMB“. We emphasize that a specific mention of the “violent path” is not contained in the so-called “open” letter, which was published on May 12, 2023 in another publication.

We do not know the reason that prompted the author to subsequently “update” or “improve” the content of his “open” letter and add such an important element as the use of violence. The specific report, in addition to raising reasonable questions about the purpose of its subsequent addition, is not valid, does not correspond to reality, is a deliberate distortion of the discussion and is a slander on the employees of the Byzantine-Christian Museum as public servants, because. scientists, as representatives and members of scientific associations and trade unions, among which are the Association of Greek Archaeologists, the United Association of YPPO Staff and the Panhellenic Union of Antiquities Conservators. This is a non-existent and unproven position that can be refuted by more than 10 workers referred to by Mr. Tanzis, as well as others present. Unless Mr. Tanzis perceives the dialogue as a manifestation of violence. In addition, the very title of the article attempts to describe as news the non-existent manifestation of “violence” in the Byzantine-Christian Museum. Thus, this is not a text of legal positions, but a discrediting publication against the Museum and its employees.

The article’s author’s claim that he “publicly advocated” for the law is also unsupported, at least not to us. In his article the main dimension of the law and its application is omitted: the selection of Mr. Tanzis as a member of the Board of Directors. The Museum of Byzantine Culture was not the result of a value judgment or an open invitation upon notification to take the position, but was a direct appointment by the political leadership of the YPPOA.

I wonder if the publication contained an even greater ploy to present the employees of the Byzantine-Christian Museum and members of our unions as employees with aggressive behavior, acting in violation of the civil service code. Is Mr. Tanzis cultivating disciplinary controls to hunt down employees so that they are “punished” for indecent behavior? Mr. Tanzis begins his contact with the museum territory aggressively and with a slanderous attitude towards the attendants.

We ask that this letter be immediately published in your newspaper and through it we ask Mr. Tanzi to retract the allegations written under it about the use of violence against him.

Yiannis Verriopoulos, President of the Panhellenic Union of Antiquities Restorers

Despina Koutsouba, President of the Association of Greek Archaeologists

Dedes Lyonis, President of the United Association of Employees of the Ministry of Attica, the Continent and the Islands.”