Greek monuments closed due to state guards' strike

The Acropolis and other iconic monuments throughout Greece were closed to the public on Monday due to a 24-hour strike called by a union of state-employed security guards.

The Panhellenic Union of Employees for the Guarding of Antiquities (PEYFA) said in a statement that the striking workers were seeking overtime pay and the hiring of additional staff, Efe news reported.

"We hope these problems, that have no fiscal impact, can be dealt with so that the Easter holidays and tourism season can start without any problems at museums and ancient sites," the statement said.

The strike is set to impede access to the emblematic citadel of the Acropolis, which contains the remains of the Parthenon and the Temple of Athena Nike, both of which date back to the 5th century BC, when the military and cultural might of the city-state of Athens was at its peak.

--IANS

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