Poland wants to expand a campaign to receive massive World War II reparations from Germany, turning to Greece and other European countries as potential allies.
Poland last year formally demanded compensation of $1.3 trillion, while Greece is seeking more than $300 billion for damage incurred by occupying Nazi Germans during World War II.
According to Ekathimerini, deputy Polish Foreign Minister Arkadiusz Mularczyk said on Tuesday his government in Warsaw would collaborate with other countries that suffered under Nazi occupation.
“Countries, individually, have failed to find justice for the victims… Therefore, we must work together to seek justice,” Mularczyk told a conference on reparations, held in Athens and co-organised by the Polish Foreign Ministry.
The conference was attended by the mayors and representatives of Greek towns where Nazi occupiers carried out civilian massacres.
Law professor and Greece’s former President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said while Germany’s post-war division has been used as a reason to limit compensation, the reparation claims can still not be ignored.
“Of course, Germany has apologised for its actions, acting with integrity,” Pavlopoulos said.
“German officials always attend events commemorating [World War II Nazi atrocities]. That is commendable but it does not negate the claims for compensation. Those claims exist.”
Greece’s claims were formally renewed in 2019 under a previous left-wing government.
Source: Ekathimerini.
