(ANSAmed) - ATHENS, APRIL 23 - A member of Qatar's royal
family has purchased a Greek island for 5 million euros,
according to a report in a Qatari newspaper.
The 1,236-acre island, named Oxia, was initially advertised
by owners the Greek-Australian Stamoulis family for 6.9 million
euros, Greek daily Ekathimerini reported, citing unnamed
sources. The island's new owners are expected to develop part of
the island, it added. The island is located in the Ionian Sea,
near Ithaca, and is protected by the Natura 2000 ecological
network, the newspaper said. Greece's government has been under
pressure to privatise the country's islands in the wake of its
sovereign debt crisis. The sale follows a week after Qatar's
sovereign wealth fund announced it had signed an agreement to
acquire Smeralda Holding, owner of luxury hotel resorts on Costa
Smeralda in Sardinia. Qatar Holding said it will acquire a
portfolio consisting of four luxury hotels with a total of 372
rooms, the Porto Cervo Marina, the Porto Cervo Shipyard, the
Pevero Golf Club, a 51% interest in 2,290 hectares of adjacent
undeveloped land and various other real estate assets in Costa
Smeralda.
''We intend to continue supporting the on-going development
programme which will see Costa Smeralda strengthen its position
as one of the world's top resort destinations,'' Ahmad Mohamed
Al-Sayed, managing director and CEO of Qatar Holding, said in a
statement. (ANSAmed).
