ATHENS, Greece — Greece’s prime minister on Friday inaugurated the start of construction work on a long-delayed major development project at the prime seaside site of the old Athens airport. The development of the 620-hectare (1,500-acre) Hellenikon site was a key element of the privatization drive that was part of Greece’s international bailouts. The country received billions in emergency loans to tackle a catastrophic financial crisis, but had to pass sweeping structural reforms and privatizations in return. The revamping of the airport has been tied up in court cases for nearly two decades, with critics of the project citing environmental and heritage concerns. In 2018, the Supreme Court approved the project.

Source: International New York Times July 03, 2020 07:22 UTC