As Greece makes hopeless efforts for a much-needed bail-out, the return of the Parthenon Marbles stops being a priority. Amal Clooney, though, the high-profile London-based lawyer, has been working on the case since 2011, representing Greece in an endless ‘courtship’.
Her visit to Athens last October at the initiation of the Greek government, right after her Venice wedding to actor George Clooney, received huge media coverage.
Many commentators found it interesting that one of the most esteemed London law firms was receiving legal fees for ensuring the Parthenon Sculptures, owned by the British Museum, find their way back to Greece to be placed in the Acropolis Museum.
Konstantinos Tasoulas, a former Greek culture minister who was responsible for handling Greece’s claims, confirmed that a Greek shipping magnate, who wishes to preserve his anonymity, in a gesture of patriotism, footed the fees on behalf of the Greek government, which deemed the amount of money demanded by Doughty Street Chambers “too extravagant” in the midst of a financial crisis.
“The arrangement came immediately after Mrs Clooney and her boss Geoffrey Robertson visited Athens three months ago,” Tasoulas stated.
“The offer of outside aid allowed the Greek government to sidestep a public tender for the work, which would have been controversial for both sides.”
“The ship owner’s involvement proved pivotal. Ever since, billing fees have been going straight to him,” he added.
According to Clooney’s boss, Geoffrey Robertson, the London lawyers are due to present an estimated 300-page report to the Greek government in the coming weeks.
“This opinion will be delivered after March 30, which is the deadline for the United Kingdom to reply to the UNESCO request for it to enter into mediation over the future of the Parthenon Sculptures,” Robertson said.
“Our fees will be paid by a group of philanthropists at no expense to the Greek people,” he explained.
The firm’s spokesperson also stressed that it would be foolish to scrap this arrangement between the shipping magnate and Mrs Clooney’s legal team, “unless the government wants to drop the restitution case altogether”.
“After all, it’s free publicity and legal advice,” he concluded.