The proposals of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works for amending the Antiquities Regulations, as approved by the Council of Ministers, were discussed today by the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Mr.Yannis Karousos, before the members of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Communications and Works.
1. Free admission to 12 Museums of the Department of Antiquities
According to the amending Regulations, admission to 12 Museums under the Department of Antiquities is free to the public, as part of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works' "Museums for All" policy. As stated by the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, the "Museums for All" policy is part of the Government's wider strategy to promote and publicise museums as places of culture and promotion of Cyprus' history. Moreover, it contributes to the establishment of the country as a destination for museum tourism and, by extension, to the attraction of visitors and scholars.
As Mr. Karousos said in his statements, the institutionalization of free admission to the Museums of the Department of Antiquities is a very important development. "It is something that is applied abroad, such as the British Museum in the United Kingdom, etc., and the time has come to apply it in Cyprus with all the benefits that this decision can have. Now our museums will be open seven days a week, which was not the case until now, with free admission. Already in some museums there is a positive response, especially in the Larnaca Museum on weekends we see a lot of significant traffic. It is also a UNESCO recommendation, it is something that has been successfully implemented abroad and we have no doubt that it will significantly increase the number of visitors to our museums," the Minister explained.
Specifically, the abolition of the entrance fee concerns the Cyprus Museum, the Ethnological Museum (Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios House), the Local Ethnological Museum of Fikardo, the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Idali and Archaeological Site, the Cyprus Railway Museum of Evrychou, the Archaeological Museum of Larnaca District, the Local Ethnological Museum of Traditional Embroidery and Silversmithing of Lefkara, the Archaeological Museum of Limassol District, the Local Archaeological Museum of Kourion, the Archaeological Museum of Paphos District, the Museum of Folk Art of Geroskipou, the Local Archaeological Museum of Marion-Arsinoe in Polis Chrysochous.
2. Celebrating civil weddings/events at Ancient Monuments
Based on the provisions of the submitted amending Regulations, the possibility of celebrating civil weddings at nine archaeological sites, museums and castles in four Districts of Cyprus is offered. In detail, the designated sites are the former Town Hall Building in the D'Avila Bastion, the Museum of the Cyprus Railway of Evrychos, the Larnaca Castle, the Museum of Traditional Embroidery and Silversmithing of Lefkara, the Limassol Castle, the Paphos Castle, the Traditional Residence at Faprika in Paphos, the Museum of Folk Art in Geroskipou and the Medieval Agrapiolis in Kouklia.
As Mr. Karousos explained, for the use of the above sites and monuments for civil weddings, an application must be submitted to the Department of Antiquities, through the relevant Municipality, at least one month before the planned date of the ceremony.
The maximum number of persons who may attend wedding ceremonies at these sites is set at 30 persons, and based on the Regulations, the throwing of flowers, confetti, rice, flares, fireworks or any other object or material is prohibited.
Regarding the cost of using these areas for civil weddings, Mr. Karousos informed the members of the Committee that the charge is different for each archaeological monument/site and ranges from €1,000 to €1,500. The Minister of Transport, Communications and Works explained that the rationale for setting a high charge is to prevent mass weddings at these sites and to protect their historical and archaeological value.
"Particularly in the Castles of Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos and in some Museums with very low attendance, such as the Museums in Lefkara and Geroskipou, civil weddings will be held with some specific restrictions and specific specifications. In this way we will promote the Ancient Monuments, especially the Castles, for which there is interest for civil weddings and, on the other hand, we will promote our history, our cultural heritage abroad and we will also help and strengthen the market of civil weddings and the Municipalities to promote this important activity, giving them additional options for civil weddings.
Asked if it is considered prudent to perform weddings in Ancient Monuments given the scandal that preceded a wedding that took place in the battleship Averoff, Mr. Karousos explained that the specific Museums and Ancient Monuments selected do not have antiquities, but are cultural reference points for the Provinces, which we want to promote. He reiterated that they are places with very low visitation and expressed confidence that with the specific restrictions that have been set, weddings will be able to be performed, enhancing both visitation and visibility, and at the same time helping the civil wedding sector and the Municipalities.
Asked whether the rates for civil weddings at Museums and Ancient Monuments are final and commenting on reactions expressed about high costs, the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works replied that the Ministry weighed the demand for civil weddings to be held at these Monuments and the respect for the site and its value. Therefore, he said, the fees are €1,000-€1,500. According to the Minister, during the preceding consultation with stakeholders, some had expressed the view that the fees should be higher and some lower. "The proposal is somewhere in the middle, because the objective is not to have mass weddings in these archaeological sites, but a certain number, a limited number, and we have to look at the fact that for the first time this issue has been opened, the proposal has been submitted and we should start. Certainly, we had to weigh everyone's concerns, on the one hand, to have respect for the Ancient Monument and, on the other hand, not to prevent a civil wedding from taking place. These amounts, based on my experience as the former Mayor of Ayia Napa, are no deterrent at all. I don't think there will be a problem with demand, on the contrary, we will make sure that we don't go over some limits with these fees that we set," he said.
3. Beneficiaries of free admission to Museums and Ancient Monuments
Finally, Mr. Karousos said that the amending Regulations include the inclusion of pensioners and families with three children in the groups of beneficiaries entitled to free and free admission to Museums and Ancient Monuments.
(MKυ)
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