Greek PM urges Burnham to return Elgin Marbles permanently
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called on the UK to permanently return the Parthenon sculptures, citing the recent Bayeux Tapestry loan as a precedent.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Greek Prime Minister urges permanent return of the Elgin Marbles.
- Compares dividing the Parthenon sculptures to splitting the historic Bayeux Tapestry.
- UK maintains that current museum legislation prevents permanent transfers of items.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has renewed pressure on the United Kingdom for the permanent repatriation of the Elgin Marbles to Athens. Highlighting the absurdity of splitting historical artifacts, Mitsotakis argued that dividing the ancient collection between London and Greece undermines their historical integrity, drawing a parallel to the recent high-profile loan of the Bayeux Tapestry.
The Greek leader's remarks followed suggestions from British Museum director Nicholas Cullinan that the successful Anglo-French agreement regarding the medieval embroidery might signal a potential pathway for resolving the long-standing dispute over the Parthenon sculptures. However, Athens has firmly rejected temporary loan arrangements, demanding the complete and permanent return of the statues.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The disputed sculptures were carved between 447BC and 432BC to adorn the Temple of Athena on the Acropolis in Athens. In the early 19th century, British ambassador Lord Elgin removed several marble statues with permission from the Ottoman Empire, which governed Athens at the time. Following an 1816 parliamentary select committee ruling, the pieces entered the British Museum collection under an act of Parliament.
"Nobody would seriously contemplate cutting what survives of the tapestry in two and displaying half in London and half in Bayeux... Yet that is exactly what happened to the Parthenon sculptures."
Kyriakos Mitsotakis
The British Museum and the UK government maintain that existing legislation prevents the permanent deaccessioning of artifacts from the national collection, though loan agreements remain legally permissible. Cultural campaigners have repeatedly pointed out that the governing statute of the British Museum could be amended by Parliament if political leaders chose to do so.
The Acropolis Museum in Athens features a dedicated top-floor gallery deliberately constructed with empty spaces specifically reserved for the eventual return of the missing sculptures currently held in London. Prime Minister Mitsotakis's aggressive diplomatic push utilizes the recent precedent set by the Bayeux Tapestry transfer to challenge the legal and moral grounds of the British Museum's ongoing retention.
Source: BBC Politics
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