I. In the Constitutional Charter of Mount Athos there are contained specific provisions regarding the protection of holy relics and the cultural heritage of the Athonite peninsula (e.g., Articles 110 and 171 of the Charter and Article 42 of the Legislative Decree dated September 10/16, 1926). Additionally, due to the funding for significant restoration projects from European funds, the decision was made to establish the "Center for the Preservation of Athonite Heritage" (Law No. 1198/1981).
The "Center for the Preservation of Athonite Heritage" is a legal entity of public law based in Thessaloniki, subordinate to the Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace. Its activities include the finalization of a work program for the preservation, maintenance, and restoration of sites in Mount Athos, execution within specified deadlines, and support for the activities of the Holy Community and the Athonite monasteries in preserving their cultural heritage (Article 9, paragraph 1 of Law No. 1198/1981).
The Center is governed by an eleven-member Board of Directors.
The President of the Board is the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace, with the Governor of Mount Athos serving as Vice President. The members include two Athonite monks, nominated by the Holy Community; two professors from the Polytechnic University; one professor from the Theological School; one professor from the Faculty of Philosophy of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; the President of the Central Macedonia Department of the Technical Chamber of Greece; and the inspectors of the 9th and 10th Ephorates of Byzantine Antiquities. The members of the Board of Directors, together with their deputies, are appointed for a three-year term by decision of the Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace (Article 9, paragraphs 2–3 of Law No. 1198/1981)
To assist in the performance of its duties, the Board of Directors is supported by a three-member Executive Committee, composed of the President, the Vice President, and the Inspector of the 10th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities (who is selected from among the Board members), along with their legal deputies (Article 9 § 5 of Law No. 1198/1981).
Furthermore, according to the provisions of this law (Article 10 of Law No. 1198/1981), presidential decrees were issued regulating the operations of the Center for the Preservation of Athonite Heritage (Presidential Decree No. 1231/1981) and the organization and execution of restoration projects in Mount Athos (Presidential Decree No. 264/1999).
II. It was subsequently explicitly stipulated that the provisions concerning the protection of antiquities and, more broadly, of cultural heritage do not affect the special provisions already in force regarding Mount Athos, and in particular, the provisions of the Athonite Charter (Articles 90,105,110,157,171), which regulates the protection of ancient monuments (Article 73, paragraph 2 of Law No. 3028/2002). The Constitutional Charter, due to its special mode of approval—as referenced in the Constitution (Article 105, paragraph 3), is a legislative act of the highest legal authority compared to general legislation concerning archaeology and public works.
The privileged status also extends to the properties of the monasteries outside the Athonite peninsula (Article 106 of the Charter). Therefore, all Athonite properties, particularly those with any archaeological value, are under the auspices of Athonite self-governance and are not subject to any state authority, regardless of whether they are located within or outside the Athonite peninsula.
