From express.co.uk
POLAND has a legitimate claim for war reparations from Germany over World War Two, according to a Polish government report dismissing claims from Angela Merkel’s cabinet.
By JON ROGERS
PUBLISHED: 09:18, Mon, Sep 18, 2017 | UPDATED: 11:36, Mon, Sep 18, 2017
Merkel faces MORE pressure to PAY: Poland has RIGHT to war reparations from Germany
The research bureau at the country’s parliament have published a 40-page document looking at the devastation of the country as well as the millions of deaths caused when Nazi Germany invaded its neighbour on September 1, 1939, sparking World War Two.
The researchers wrote: “It is legitimate to claim the Republic of Poland is entitled to compensation claims against the Federal Republic of Germany, and the contention those claims have expired is unfounded.”
The document says Poland suffered material damage of £35.9billion ($48.8bn) in 1939 prices, equivalent to around £633bn ($860bn) today.
The document also highlights more than six million Poles were killed during the war.
Poland has a legitimate claim for World War II reparations, researchers have said
Difficulties have already arisen between east and west EU members as countries including Poland refuse to take in their quota of refugees allocated to them by Brussels, sparking a legal battle with the European Commission.
Law and Justice MP Arkadiusz Mularczyk, who commissioned the report, told Politico: “This is the first such complex analysis of the reparations issue, which has only been taken up in a very piecemeal way so far.
“It’s clear that Poland did not receive due reparations. What it did receive was not even one per cent of what Germany paid to other countries.”
The Polish foreign ministry tweeted more thorough analysis is needed before the government can decide whether to pursue Germany for damages.
Germany though has ruled out paying any reparations to Poland, saying that Warsaw gave up its claims to any payment in 1953.
The stance was confirmed by the Polish government in 2004 when it joined the EU.
German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Friday: “From our point of view, that conclusively resolves the question — legally as well as politically.”
Poland’s political moves to seek reparations has been met with opposition from the Catholic church, whose leaders said "ill-considered decisions and rash words" can easily destroy the "great value" that is the hard-won reconciliation between Poland and Germany.
In a letter addressed to "persons responsible for our country and for international relations," five leading bishops said that the issues that have not been settled between the two nations should be approached through "wise diplomacy" that can help avoid negative emotions.
Poland's church is considered to be a powerful ally of the conservative ruling party and the words were seen as a friendly check on its policies.
In a letter addressed to "persons responsible for our country and for international relations," five leading bishops said that the issues that have not been settled between the two nations should be approached through "wise diplomacy" that can help avoid negative emotions.
Poland's church is considered to be a powerful ally of the conservative ruling party and the words were seen as a friendly check on its policies.
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