International Journal of Tourism, Travel and Hospitality Law Ministerial Decision no. 34593/1108/1983 (Gov. Gazette B’398) on the protection of caves came into force afterwards. According to this decision, caves were treated uniformly, without distinction as to whether signs of human presence were found inside them or not. Article 1 stipulates that: "Caves are included in the category of monuments and are considered an integral part of man’s cultural heritage, as works of man or of nature with a global historical, aesthetic, ethnological, anthropological or paleoanthropological value". Also, according to Article 2 "Caves are also considered an integral part of the archaeological heritage ...". According to the same ministerial decision, protection, research, excavation and study of caves is the responsibility of the Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology - Speleology of the Ministry of Culture. The same decision (par 4) appoints as jointly responsible for the protection of caves the regional units of the Ministry of Culture, the municipal authorities, the local police departments, in cooperation with the Ephorate of Paleoanthropology-Speleology, prohibiting any operation, exploration or “exploitation” by any Greek or foreign entity without the prior approval of the Ministry of Culture. Decision 34593/1108/1983 established the criteria for the protection of caves, in accordance with the guidelines of the International Convention signed in Paris on November 23rd, 1972 for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, which was ratified by Greece by Law 1126/1981 (Gov. Gazette A’32). According to the International Convention (Article 1), monuments that are part of the "cultural heritage" explicitly include caves. Caves are also considered an integral part of the archaeological heritage, according to Article 1 of Law 1127/1981 (Gov. Gazette A’32) on the ratification of the European Convention for the protection of archaeological heritage, signed in London on May 6th, 1969. Every finding, object or any other trace of human existence, which is a testimony to eras and civilizations for which excavations or discoveries are the main source or one of the main sources of scientific discovery, are considered an archaeological object. Therefore, according to this provision, any kind of object or finding and any trace of human existence (tools, bones, etc.) found in caves is considered an archaeological object. It is obvious therefore that with the previous institutional framework caves were considered not only as natural formations but also as a part of the cultural heritage and their protection, investigation, excavation and study was assigned to the Ministry of Culture. Law 3028/2002 on the protection of antiquities and, in general, of cultural heritage (Gov. Gazette A’153), known as the archaeological law, brought about changes in the concept of monuments. Thus, according to Article 2 par b) subparagraph aa) all cultural goods dating to the prehistoric, ancient, Byzantine and post-Byzantine times up to 1830, subject to the provisions of Article 20, are considered ancient; or ancient monuments. Ancient monuments include caves and paleontological remains, for which there is evidence that they are linked to human existence.
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