BRUSSELS — Thirty members of the European Parliament are asking for the return of the Parthenon marbles to Greece in a letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The MEPs, representing 12 EU countries, have agreed to begin pressuring the British Museum to return the marbles as Greece prepares to celebrate next year its 200th anniversary since the Greek War of Independence broke out, Eva Kaili, Eurodeputy for Movement for Change (KINAL) said in a statement explaining the initiative.

In their letter, the 30 MEPs say that a legislative act of the British government would allow the return by the museum and provide a message of goodwill to the EU, confirming the close ties of Europe and the UK ahead of the final Brexit agreement.

In a related development, 18 members of the US Congress also sent a letter to the British PM last month to respect the Greek wish for the retun of the marbles, stolen during the Ottoman occupation.