Tsipras on Parthenon Sculptures: You cannot borrow something that belongs to you and it has been stolen from you

Today the President of SYRIZA – PS had a meeting with the board of the Association of Greek Archaeologists, Alexis Tsipras, on the occasion of the international press reports on the British Museum’s agreement with the Greek government for the loan and exchange of the Parthenon Sculptures. Mr. Tsipras had the opportunity to be informed about the situation, to discuss with the representatives of the archaeologists and to state the opinion of the main opposition party. The meeting was also attended by the Head of Culture of SYRIZA – PS Anagnostopoulou Cothe former Deputy Minister of Culture Kostas Stratis and Mr. Tsipras’ advisor from the think tank, Tasos Tanoulas.

Mr. Tsipras expressed his strong concern about the publications of the previous days that speak explicitly about borrowing or exchange and with very specific exchanges. “This is out of context, both moral and overall, because the positions of the Hellenic Republic are clearly and explicitly formulated in all international forums and especially in UNESCO by all Greek governments in recent decades. And this position is that we do not recognize in any state and in any legal entity, such as the British Museum, any right – much less any right of ownership – to the illegally taken away – to the stolen Parthenon Sculptures. This position cannot be overlooked by anyone. You can’t lend or exchange something that doesn’t belong to you,” said Mr. Tsipras.

Mr. Tsipras underlined that “what we must do is not to start a barren confrontation on an issue that unites us and not that divides us” and formulated the request “that there be official information to both the political forces and the institutions of community of archaeologists who have been fighting this fight for years and of course there should be an immediate clarification that no one can move outside the framework that has existed for at least the last forty years since the late Melina Merkouris and followed by all the Greek governments”.

For her part, the President of the Association of Greek Archaeologists initially underlined that “the claim of the return of the Sculptors should not be involved in any pre-election pursuit and in any pre-election time, because this always takes us backwards”. He also reminded that “the struggle for the return and reunification of the Parthenon Sculptors began in 1830 with the establishment of the Greek state, in order to restore a historical injustice. In the early 1980s, Melina Merkouri managed to internationalize the issue and from then on she started a comprehensive policy of the Greek state and the Ministry of Culture”. He strongly criticized the government, saying that “Mr. Mitsotakis made secret negotiations with the President of the British Museum. On the one hand we are pushing UNESCO to say it is a cross-government issue and on the other hand the Prime Minister is undermining this effort by talking to the British Museum”, while pointing to the need for a “permanent standing cross-party parliamentary committee” so that all parties participate in this fight and know what is going on.

Meeting with the Bureau of the Association of Greek Archaeologists about the Parthenon Marbles:
“You can’t borrow something that belongs to you and it’s been stolen from you” pic.twitter.com/MELVFapCg5

— Alexis Tsipras (@atsipras) January 7, 2023

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