As the European Union prepares to negotiate a whole new relationship with the UK post-Brexit, some activists believe and hope that Greece might be able to use the Parthenon Marbles as a critical bargaining chip in negotiations.
“What we have now is the only opportunity in 200 years to force the return of the Parthenon Marbles,” says Alexis Mantheakis, co-founder of the activist group International Parthenon Sculptures Action Committee.
The world is focused on the divorce agreement that the UK will make with the EU, but that’s only the beginning. Once the UK Brexits the EU at the end of March, the negotiations start all over again, over trade, security and the rest of the future relationship.
The treaties that come out of those negotiations will almost certainly have to be ratified by all 27 remaining EU parliaments before they can take effect. If Greece’s parliament — or any other, for that matter — refuses, there’s no deal.
Mantheakis, and others, were interviewed by PRI’s The World program, which is a co-production with BBC World News.
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