Short intro to the opening ceremonies in 2004.
The 2004 Olympic Games in Athens cost the country a total of 8.48 billion euros, according to a document filed by Alternate Finance Minister Christos Staikouras with Parliament on Monday. The figures were disclosed in response to questions tabled by Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leader Alexis Tsipras, who attributed the country's high public debt and deficit to the cost of the Games, and three party deputies. Staikouras said that the amount included expenses covered by the state and those incurred by the organising committee of the Athens Games. Deputy Education Minister Yiannis Ioannidis, responsible for sports, replied in writing to the same question, noting that the expenses linked to the public investment programme have been audited by the Court of Audit. However, he said, there is no audit report by the Sports General Secretariat for the organising committee because the secretariat's audit committee can only issue reports on agencies it supervises, and following a ministerial order. AMNA
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