The German government has rejected the latest calls by Greece’s Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, to receive reparation payments for the brutal Nazi occupation of Greece during the Second World War.
German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said that Berlin’s “position is very clear” on the reparations issue and has been stated repeatedly.
“The question of German reparations has been conclusively dealt with, legally and politically,” Seibert said.
During an anniversary event in northern Greece, where hundreds of Greeks were massacred by the occupying Nazis, Tsipras said he would vow diplomatic and legal means to secure what was owed to Greece.
“(Greece) will do whatever is necessary, mainly at a diplomatic level, and if necessary, at a legal level,” Tsipras said during a visit to Kommeno, a village wiped out by Nazi soldiers in August of 1943.
A Greek parliamentary committee recently prepared a report on war reparations. It hasn’t been made public but Greek media reports say it set the total sum due at 300-400 billion euros ($340-$450 billion).
Berlin has said reparations to Greece were settled in 1960 as part of an agreement with several European governments.
But successive Greek governments, as well as numerous legal experts, including Nick Karambelas, a Washington DC attorney, thinks otherwise.
1 comment
German elusiveness is without equal. They have been trying to show the world that they have been reformed, from the Nazi past, they have apologized, but, they dont want to take responsibility for the destruction and mayhem that was caused. let alone the forced loan, that’s still owed. They have no moral standing, when it comes to lecturing Greece about paying what they owe, but themselves not following their own teachings. This has happened with VW emissions, corruption and lying is endemic in today’s Germany.