Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as widely reported throughout the week, brought up Greece’s long-standing demand for a repatriation of the Parthenon Marbles during his meeting in London on Tuesday with UK Premier Boris Johnson.
The demand that the friezes, prominently held and displayed by the British Museum in London, be returned to Athens’ state-of-the-art Acropolis Museum, has periodically been raised, often in a forceful manner, by successive Greek governments, dating back to the 1980s and even before the new museum opened.
A statement issued afterwards by Johnson’ 10 Downing Street office merely noted that the British leader said he comprehended the strong feelings held by the Greek people, but that the issue exclusively affects the British Museum. The statement also noted that excellent bilateral relations are not affected.
Beyond the Parthenon Marbles, still called the “Elgin Marbles” by the British Museum, after the early 19th century diplomat that had them sliced off the Parthenon and haphazardly shipped to England, Mitsotakis expressed satisfaction over a continued EU-UK dialogue regarding a protocol for Northern Ireland.
The Greek prime minister also again cited what he called official Turkey’s destabilizing role in the eastern Mediterranean, something he said leaves little margin for optimism that a dialogue will resume, something he said Greece is already ready to begin under the condition that international law and the UN Convention for the Law of the Sea are respected.
In front of rolling cameras, Johnson first Mitsotakis for his leadership at Cop26 as he welcomed him to Downing Street in the afternoon.
The latter then offered his congratulations to Johnson for the Glasgow summit, with the latter replying “we made a lot of progress”.
The Greek PM also said there was “a lot to talk about” surrounding the “very strong bilateral relationship” between Greece and Great Britain.
“Great to welcome my friend Kyriakos Mitsotakis to London. We have been … working on this for a long time and the relationship between Greece and the UK is of the utmost importance to me, to us.
“It is of course the bicentenary of our support for Greek independence – Greece’s historic movement towards independence in 1821,” Johnson said in welcoming the Greek leader, who interjected: “Against the odds.”
To that, Johnson added: “Against the odds. With the support of Lord Byron and others. But fantastic to see you.”
In again citing the Glasgow summit, Johnson expressed thanks to Mitsotakis for his “leadership during Cop26 in Glasgow,” with the Greek PM concluded that his counterpart delivered a “very complicated project”.
Latest News
ELSTAT: Greek Health Expenditures Reach €5.89 Billion in 2022
Finally, healthcare financing as a percentage of GDP decreased to 8.5% in 2022 from 9.18% in 2021, as per the Health Accounts System report.
Sonoco Paper Mill Plants Close After 30 Years in Greece
The shut down of the two paper mills in northern Greece comes a week after a glass plant closed in Athens
BoG: Private Deposits Down by 1.068bln Euros in Feb. 2024
Corporate deposits decreased by 912 million euros, compared to a decrease of 3.167 billion euros in the previous month
Greeks’ Buying Power Second Lowest in the EU
Greeks’ purchasing power is under pressure, ranking 26th among 27 EU member states.
Greek FinMin Says Digital Work Card Tackling Undeclared Work
Greece's recently launched digital work card aimed at tackling undeclared labor has already started to produce results, said Economy and Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis
MSC Cruises: More than 400 Visits to Nine Greek Destinations
MSC Cruises, a subsidiary of international shipping line Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A, will be sailing to Greek ports as of this month, expanding operations in the region year-round
Eurostat: Greece Among Cheaper Hourly Labor Cost Zones
In contrast, the countries that posted the highest hourly labor costs are Luxembourg (53.9 euros), Norway (51.9 euros), Iceland
GSEVEE: Economic Sentiment Indicator in Greece Down in Q2 2023
The drop follows a significant uptick in the ESI in the second half of 2022 (69.5 units) and a slight decline in the first half of 2023 (66.7 units)
Manpower Report: Sectors in Greece that Have Achieved Full Gender Equality in the Workplace
Greece surpasses this with 45%, showcasing progress but also room for improvement. Sectors like Consumer Goods and Services lead with 69% reporting full equality globally
Bank of America (BofA): Three Reasons Greek Economy Outperforms EC Average
BofA projects growth of 1.1% in 2024 and 1.7% in 2025, compared to forecasts for eurozone growth at 0.4%/1.1%, respectively