15 ancient objects from Switzerland, ranging from prehistoric to Roman times, will be returned to Greece. The ancient objects will be returned following a Geneva court ruling in a criminal case against a well-known antiquities dealer, while they were seized by Swiss authorities.
They are figurines, clay and copper vessels, a golden tiara with laurel leaves, the torso of a naked male youth, a bronze statuette of a naked athlete, a pair of bronze anklets and a silver coin (stater).
A statement from the Ministry of Culture said that after being informed of the case by the Consulate General of Greece, the ministry has instructed a lawyer to take all necessary measures to gain access to all the confiscated items. It was found that among them were 15 antiquities of Greek interest. According to the relevant documentation, these items were definitively assigned to the Greek State as products of illicit trade by a court order issued in July 2022.
The Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni, stated, "The Ministry of Culture and Sports attaches great importance to the repatriation of all cultural objects that are inseparable from our cultural heritage, especially in recent years. The repatriation of cultural property to its place of origin is not only a universal issue, but also a moral obligation between peoples in the framework of respect and protection of the common global cultural heritage. The need to return cultural property that has been taken unlawfully or through legally questionable procedures stems from the fundamental principles of international conventions, regardless of time limits or restrictions.
In addition to antiquities in the strict sense, there are also antiquities that have been removed, in a way that destroys the monument or the archaeological environment to which they belong. We work systematically on the basis of a holistic management plan, with main axes: the expansion of the protection of cultural properties, the suppression of illegal trade and the return of Greek antiquities to their place.
The Directorate in charge of Documentation and Protection of Cultural Property, in collaboration with all the relevant departments, is working tirelessly and with dedication to achieve both the return of smuggled monuments and the raising of awareness among all citizens about the problem of antiquities hoarding. These efforts have produced very important results, and we are convinced that many more successes will follow. I would like to thank the Greek Consul General in Geneva, Mr. Alexandros Gennimatas, for his decisive contribution to the clarification of the case and the repatriation of the antiquities, the lawyer of the Greek State, Mr. Romanos Skandamis, and for the key role he played in the outcome of this case, the Swiss Archaeological School, as well as the Directorate for Documentation and Protection of Cultural Property for all their actions".
