Athens: Greek MP Spyros Tsironis strongly criticised the Greece-China agreement on underwater cultural heritage, raising concerns over what he described as its “vague and non-binding” provisions, according to media reports.
Speaking during a parliamentary debate on the ratification of the cooperation pact between Greece’s Ministry of Culture and China’s National Administration of Cultural Heritage, the lawmaker from the Niki party argued that Greece should not present itself as a “weak partner” in engaging with Beijing, a report in Greek City Times stated.
He said the deal resembled “a simple declaration of intentions rather than a substantive step forward”, citing the lack of concrete short-term objectives and offering only broad long-term projections.
According to the report, Tsironis voiced strong reservations over the potential establishment of a Chinese archaeological institute in Greece.
Questioning the lack of reciprocity in the arrangement, he asked why Greece should cover operational costs for a foreign institution without a corresponding Greek institute in China.
“Where is the mutual cooperation, and what is the tangible benefit for Greek interests?” he said, as per the Greek City Times report.
“The Niki MP challenged the allocation of dedicated space in the new Museum of Underwater Antiquities in Piraeus for Chinese underwater antiquities, demanding clarity on what Greece receives in return, such as a permanent exhibit of Greek heritage in a Chinese museum,” the report noted.
Tsironis reportedly tied the agreement to broader concerns within Greece’s Ministry of Culture, noting that the budget for the Underwater Antiquities Museum has risen from an initial 77 million euros to 105 million euros amid “delays and risks of losing European funding”.
He argued that committing public space to a foreign institution before the project’s completion was premature.
The report highlighted that Tsironis concluded by stating that his party backs international cultural exchanges only when they are based on transparent terms that safeguard Greece’s interests. “We refuse to co-sign blind agreements that portray our country as the weak or subordinate partner,” he asserted.
According to local media reports, Greece and China have agreed to deepen their cultural ties through the renewal and expansion of a cooperation agreement on underwater cultural heritage. The renewed agreement sought to promote scientific cooperation and joint underwater archaeological research and was signed in 2023 during a meeting between Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and then Chinese Tourism and Culture Minister Hu Heping during the latter’s official visit to Greece.
(IANS)
