Greece renews demand for reunification of Parthenon Sculptures

Greek leadership has renewed its demand for the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures, currently held in the United Kingdom. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in an article for the Guardian, used France’s decision to loan the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK as a point of comparison, arguing that a divided world heritage monument should not be offered in installments.

Athens has maintained a firm ‘red line’ regarding negotiations: any loan agreement must not imply British sovereignty over the masterpieces of Phidias. The dispute dates back to 1801–1804, when Lord Elgin removed nearly half of the Parthenon’s sculptural decorations under a contested Ottoman ‘firman.’

President Konstantinos Tasoulas also emphasized the importance of the sculptures' return during a speech at the British School of Athens. He stated that the Parthenon should not remain indefinitely without its sculptures and noted that a successful reunification would serve as a significant symbolic gesture for cultural heritage.