Greece drafted legislation allowing commercial use, such as restaurants or theme parks, for many of the world-class facilities that have been gathering dust since the Athens Olympics ended seven months ago.

Fani Pali Petralia, the deputy culture minister who led the government's Olympic preparations, failed to provide a clear timetable Wednesday for when she expected the legislation to be approved. She said none of the facilities would be sold to offset Olympic costs.

The facilities would be leased or opened for commercial use to help pay back some of the US$14.2 billion that was spent on the most expensive Olympics in history.

The draft legislation she presented Wednesday at the Olympic Stadium complex sets the legal framework allowing commercial enterprises to be set up at many facilities.

"Our policy for the utilization of the Olympic properties will ensure the money spent by the tax-payer is not lost," she said.

Petralia blamed the previous socialist government for a lack of post-Olympic planning. The governing conservatives came to power five months before the August games.

The cost of the Olympics has contributed to Greece having the biggest budget deficit in the European Union.

(Shenzhen Daily April 1, 2005)