The Regional Council of Crete unanimously decided to issue a resolution titled: “Protect the unique find on Papoura Hill. Do not allow radar installation next to the monument.”
Specifically, the Regional Council calls for:
Searching for an alternative site for the radar construction,
Prohibiting any modern constructions on Papoura Hill,
Completing the excavation of the monument and archaeological investigation of the surrounding area to declare and promote it as a visitor site,
Halting any work before final decisions are made,
Declaring the hill an archaeological site of major importance.
The Association of Greek Archaeologists issued a resolution urging the search for another radar site, stating among other things:
“The unique find in the archaeological history of the Aegean region on Papoura Hill is in danger. The significance of this unique Minoan circular architectural complex, 50 meters in diameter, has attracted worldwide scientific interest for its architectural design, meticulous construction, and prominent location overlooking the Kasteli plain, near important archaeological sites such as the Galatas palace, the Smari acropolis, and the ancient city of Lyttos.
However, despite initial statements by the Minister of Culture and the Ministry of Infrastructure that an alternative site for the radar would be sought to protect this important monument, an incomplete study was submitted at the end of June. This study proposes installing extensive facilities, tall radar towers, and auxiliary buildings around the monument, only 30 meters from its outer ring. The extensive modifications and earthworks on the hill will cause immediate and irreparable damage to the still ongoing excavation and the surrounding area, which also requires archaeological investigation, as other archaeological sites have been found lower on the hill’s slopes.
The planned installations violate the Archaeological Law and make it impossible to promote and allow visitation not only of the monument but also of the surrounding archaeological landscape in the future. Neither the Constitution, the Archaeological Law, nor our conscience allow the safeguarding of our cultural heritage to be negotiated. Neither the Ministries of Culture and Infrastructure, nor the Civil Aviation Authority, nor the Central Archaeological Council (KAS) are authorized to put this unique archaeological find at such risk.”
Vasilis Kegeroglou, Mayor of Minoa Pediada Municipality, also expressed his views, stating:
“In the area of the Municipality of Minoa Pediada, which I represent, is Papoura Hill where the Minoan Monument was found, and the site where the new airport is being built. We fully understand the importance of the new airport project for the development of the wider region.
We believe the airport’s operation will help highlight our area and potentially make it a hub of attraction thanks to important archaeological sites (Galatas, Lyttos, Arkadia, Prophet Elias Arkalochori, Smari Acropolis, etc.), the natural wealth, the tradition of Minoan pottery, and authentic Cretan culture.
However, we cannot ignore the attempted destruction — without exaggeration — of the Papoura Monument.
We appealed to the members of the Central Archaeological Council, trusting their prestige and expertise, and proposed postponing their decision to allow an on-site inspection before the ruling. We were not heard.
Following the unacceptable scientific and historical decision of the KAS, we insist:
We do not accept the KAS’s recommendation or the Infrastructure Ministry’s insistence on radar locations that suffocate and destroy the monument and we demand:
Immediate declaration of the site as an archaeological area of major importance.
Continuation of excavations.
Protection, restoration, and promotion of the monument.
Making the site accessible to visitors.
The Ministry of Infrastructure must finally act and search, even now, for alternatives as required and make up for lost time.
The airport’s planned operational start appears delayed anyway, according to officials, for other reasons, despite good progress by the concessionaire. The delays come from the Ministry of Infrastructure’s inertia and lengthy decision-making and permit issuance. For example, the final approval for the tunnel decided 18 months ago has yet to be granted.
The Papoura monument is a living example of the complex and creative thinking of our ancestors 5,000 years ago, which must be preserved at all costs.
The entire local community, organizations, associations, and ordinary citizens, along with the Municipality of Minoa Pediada, over 250 archaeologists from Europe and beyond, universities worldwide, and thousands of citizens across Greece, are united and fighting for the survival of this 5,000-year-old monument threatened by irrational decisions based on myths that lead to its destruction.
They try to convince us that in the era of artificial intelligence, placing radars in adjacent locations on both sides of the monument, suffocating and destroying it, is the only option. Many experts contacted us after the issue was raised, disproving the Ministry of Infrastructure’s claim. Seven years after signing the contract, they only began addressing the issue in 2022 and have investigated only a few of the many expropriated peaks in the area that could be suitable.
The public’s question, which is universally opposed to radar installation at Papoura, remains unanswered: If Papoura didn’t exist, would the airport still be built?”
