A section of an ancient wall next to the Archaeological Museum in the city of Veria in Central Macedonia collapsed into the yard of a home, launching a bureaucratic fingerpointing over who will clean it up.
According to complaints from residents, the fallen stones have created safety concerns, particularly for young children who play in the yard. Families say they worry every time it rains, fearing further collapses as the wall is not well maintained.
Mr. Antonis, the homeowner, told MEGA that he has become caught in a bureaucratic dispute between the local Ephorate of Antiquities—the Greek authority responsible for archaeological sites—and the Municipality of Veria.
Specifically, the Ephorate of Antiquities considers the wall to be under its jurisdiction and therefore must be handled solely by officials, but says it does not have the personnel required to remove the fallen stones. The municipality, on the other hand, argues that since the stones fell onto private property, they ceased to be part of the monument and became rubble, making their removal the property owner’s responsibility.
However, the homeowner says he cannot remove the stones himself because he has been instructed not to touch anything. Since the stones are considered ancient artifacts, they may be needed for the reconstruction of the wall, and he fears he could even face accusations of illegally handling antiquities.
“The wall belongs to the archaeological service, and they say they can’t collect the stones because they don’t have workers. They’ve contacted the Municipality of Veria,” said Mr. Antonis.
“The Municipality of Veria then responded to us through official channels saying that once the stones fell inside my property, as the owner, I am responsible for covering the cost of removing the rubble.”
“On one hand, they told me I have to collect them myself, and on the other, they said, ‘You must not touch anything because they are antiquities.’ They haven’t done anything. They’ve just placed two containers.”
Residents say they remain concerned about their children’s safety as they warn that there is a risk of further sections of the historic wall collapsing.
