Theft by Britain of the Parthenon Marbles
10.12.2014
Question for written answer E-010479-14
to the Commission
Rule 130
Georgios Epitideios (NI)
The British Museum has announced that one of the statues stolen from the Acropolis in Athens and brought to Great Britain in the 19th century by the Earl of Elgin is on the move again. But far from being returned to Greece, along with the other statues, it is being loaned to St. Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum.
The British authorities categorically refuse to return the statues to their rightful owners and are thus exploiting Greek culture for financial gain.
The British Museum used to maintain that it would keep the statues because Greece lacked the facilities to preserve and protect them. It has naturally chosen to ignore the fact that the Acropolis Museum is one of the world’s most state-of-the-art museums.
In lending this statue to the Russian museum, the British authorities are not only snubbing the Greeks, but revealing that their real concern is the commercial exploitation of Greek culture.
Since the EU is based on mutual respect between the Member States and historical reconciliation, will the Commission say:
- —What does it intend to do to obtain the return of the Parthenon Marbles?
- —Does the British Museum benefit from any EU funding programmes?
- —If so, will they be suspended until such time as the Marbles are returned?