Greek Prime Minister Urges Mayor Burnham to Facilitate Elgin Marbles Return

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has urged Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, to demonstrate the necessary "political will" to facilitate the permanent return of the Parthenon sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles, to Greece. In an opinion piece published in The Guardian, Mitsotakis stated that repatriating the classical treasures would "send a powerful signal" and require "courage."

The Parthenon sculptures have been housed in the British Museum since the early 19th century, a period during which Greece has consistently contested the legality of their removal. Despite previous talks between Greek authorities and the British Museum, an agreement for their permanent return has not been reached.

Mitsotakis referenced the recent loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the British Museum, suggesting that such cultural exchanges offer a potential framework for resolving disputes over historical artifacts. However, he expressed surprise at the British Museum director's suggestion that this loan might serve as a template for a deal regarding the Parthenon sculptures, asserting that he does not believe it does.

"Greece cannot accept any arrangement that would require it to recognise the British Museum's ownership of the sculptures, or a scheme that would mean we 'borrow' parts of our own monument," Mitsotakis wrote. He appealed to Burnham to uphold his past statements, made before he became prime minister, that the sculptures should be returned to Greece "with no strings attached."

Mitsotakis described the potential return as a "decisive step" that would "reunite the sculptures and transform a historic dispute into a unique act of cultural friendship."

Earlier, in 2023, Burnham had publicly supported the sculptures' return and advocated for a change in the law to permit it. More recently, however, he told the Financial Times that the issue "ultimately it's an issue for the British Museum," indicating that legally the matter rests with the museum.

Lord Elgin obtained permission from the Ottoman Empire, which governed Athens at the time, to remove certain marble statues from the Acropolis in the early 19th century. These sculptures, created between 447 BC and 432 BC, were originally part of the Parthenon temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. Following a 1816 parliamentary select committee's decision that Elgin's actions were legal, the sculptures were incorporated into the British Museum's collection by an act of Parliament.

Greece disputes the lawfulness of their removal, and demands for the statues' return have been persistent. The Acropolis Museum in Athens features a dedicated Parthenon gallery, designed with deliberate spaces awaiting the return of the sculptures held in London.

In 2023, George Osborne, then chairman of the British Museum, spoke of seeking a "more co-operative arrangement" after more than two centuries of "quite a bitter disagreement" with Greece. Mitsotakis's latest public remarks suggest a renewed emphasis on this long-standing cultural issue.

The British Museum and the UK government maintain that current legislation prevents the permanent repatriation of artifacts in their collection, although loan agreements are a common practice. While campaigners argue that the British Museum Act could be amended, the UK government has not indicated any intention to prioritize such changes.