Brexit leverage or historic justice? Twitter row erupts after EU ‘calls for’ UK return stolen Elgin Marbles to Greece

Posted By . Under RUSSIA  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,   

Britain’s refusal to return the Parthenon/Elgin Marbles to Greece, which says they have been stolen from Athens within the early 19th century, has triggered debate on Twitter in regards to the rights and wrongs of the provocative request.

The long-running dispute has lately seen Greece step up efforts to reclaim the two,500-year-old sculptures that had adorned the famed fifth century BC Parthenon temple. The valuable items have been taken by British diplomat Lord Elgin when Athens was below Ottoman Turkish rule.

The British Museum in London – the place the traditional treasures are at the moment held – have rejected Athens’ request. They deny Greece’s declare that they have been stolen and say the marbles have been taken below a authorized contract with the Ottoman empire.

Additionally on rt.com

© Twitter / Hugh Warwick @hedgehoghugh
Local weather protesters take a literal TROJAN HORSE to British Museum (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

But it surely has lately emerged the EU’s draft negotiating mandate in relation to post-Brexit commerce talks with the UK features a demand for the return of “unlawfully eliminated cultural objects.” The declare was instantly linked to the Elgin Marbles, prompting accusations on-line that Brussels is utilizing the contentious problem for leverage in negotiations.

Former Brexit Occasion MEP Ben Habib hit out on the EU for “greedy onto something with which it would bolster its negotiating place,” including that “sufficient is sufficient” and suggesting the UK shouldn’t play their video games and as an alternative “depart with no deal.”

Darren Grimes – who helped discovered the BrexitCentral web site and the pro-Brexit youth group BeLeave – has referred to as the EU’s newest calls for “ridiculous.” He claimed on Twitter that Brussels was merely utilizing the difficulty of the Parthenon Marbles as a way to “assault Britain.”

Others took problem with the anglicized title being given to the Greek artefacts. One individual joked that “given the nickname they’ve been given I don’t assume anybody is able to dispute that Lord Elgin did certainly steal the Elgin Marbles.”

British comedy author and creator James Felton steered that Britons shouldn’t “lose our s**t” over the calls for, contemplating the quantity of stolen historic objects within the British Museum. Humorous photos have been additionally posted mocking the outrage on the request made by Greece.

Downing Avenue has responded by saying the relics have been “not up for dialogue” as a part of any UK-EU commerce talks. The rhetoric between London and Brussels has soured in current days. EU Brexit co-ordinator Man Verhofstadt warned on Tuesday that it could be a “hell of a job” to safe a profitable end result in negotiations with the UK, as he criticized their method to future relationship discussions.

Assume your folks would have an interest? Share this story!