The Friends of Paros Association wishes to bring to the public’s attention important information regarding the future of the Marathi site and the decisions currently under consideration by the Municipality of Paros.
It appears that the Paros Town Hall has received a request from the company operating the modern Marathi quarries, also known as the “Riga Quarries,” seeking a ten-year extension of the site’s lease, with the possibility of a further extension until 2047.
Such an extension would imply the continuation of industrial activity whose environmental impact on the Marathi and Kostos region is already considerable. Since the 1970s, the quarries’ gradual expansion has profoundly altered the natural landscape of this area, as revealed by comparing old maps of Paros with the current situation. The nuisances generated by the quarrying operation—explosions, vibrations, and heavy vehicle traffic—are having a lasting impact on the quality of life of residents and visitors, while also contributing to the degradation of a particularly well-preserved area of the island’s hinterland.
The situation is all the more concerning as the current quarry is located in the immediate vicinity of, and partly within, a listed archaeological site. This configuration is incompatible with the protection and enhancement of the ancient quarries of Paros, which constitute an essential element of the island’s cultural heritage and a strategic focus for cultural and tourism development, supported by the EFAK (European Foundation for Archaeology and Culture), the municipality, and numerous local cultural associations.
Recent scientific studies, conducted notably by the National Technical University of Athens (EMPI) and other specialists, have highlighted the extreme fragility and high level of danger posed by the ancient galleries of the Nymphs’ Quarry. This data, which was not available during previous lease renewals, indicates that any worsening of the situation, particularly due to external factors such as vibrations, could cause irreversible damage to this exceptional monument.
Furthermore, serious legal questions have been raised in recent years regarding the operation of the modern quarry. These concern, in particular, exceeding the areas actually leased by the municipality, the nature of the materials extracted, and non-compliance with the environmental conditions stipulated in the administrative permits. These issues, examined by the Municipal Council, make any sustainable coexistence between the operation of the modern quarry and the protection of archaeological heritage unrealistic, even under stricter regulations. Committed for over twenty-five years to the protection of the environment, landscape, and cultural heritage of the island, the Friends of Paros have officially requested that the Mayor and the Municipal Council reject this request for a long-term extension of the site’s lease.
The association calls for responsible and visionary decision-making, based on the sustainable preservation of the identity of Paros, its unique heritage and the quality of life of its inhabitants, in the interest of current and future generations.
Leave a Reply