Greek Parliament advances cultural heritage reform bill

The Greek Parliament’s Committee on Cultural Affairs completed the second reading of a cultural heritage bill that would overhaul the management of heritage sites, protect artworks and restructure the Cultural Resources Management Organisation. New Democracy (ND) voted in favour, while PASOK, EL.L.Y., and the Freedom Movement expressed reservations and the opposition parties KKE, SYRIZA and NIKI announced plans to reject it. A plenary vote is scheduled for the following day.

Stakeholders commented on the bill’s provisions: Ioannis Glezos, president of the Board of the Collective Management Organisation for Musical Copyrights, called Article 120 “exceptional” for allowing bankruptcy trustees to collect and distribute royalty arrears to rights holders. Lawyer Christos Dourmas highlighted that the amendment restores legal certainty and balances the interests of rights owners and users. Director Panagiotis Papadimitriou raised concerns about the EKOKEMED process and the need for institutional support for television production workers.