Poland sends war reparations diplomatic note to EU, Nato, CoE countries

Poland has send a diplomatic note on its war reparations claim against Germany to all countries of the EU, Nato and the Council of Europe, a deputy foreign minister has told PAP.

On September 1, the Polish government presented a comprehensive report detailing the material losses suffered by Poland during the Second World War along with a pledge to demand money from Germany in reparations to the tune of EUR 1.3 trillion. Subsequently, Poland's foreign ministry sent a diplomatic note to Germany demanding compensation for the war losses. However, Germany maintains that the issue of reparations for Poland is closed.

"Today, among other things, on my initiative, a diplomatic note was sent to all countries of the Council of Europe, the European Union and Nato, our key partners and friends in the world, in which we inform them of our diplomatic note, about sending that note, why we sent it," Arkadiusz Mularczyk, who headed the team tasked with preparing the report, told PAP.

According to him, the diplomatic note was intended as a tool to inform people globally, primarily diplomats, politicians, people interested in human rights issues and international lawyers, that "the issue is unresolved, that it concerns the European and international rule of law, human rights".

Mularczyk said the document contained information about Germany not having settled the losses borne by Poland as a result of the war and had not returned looted artworks or bank assets nor compensated Polish citizens for the harm they had suffered as a result of Germany's aggression.

"The Germans don't want to discuss the matter, do not want to conclude an international agreement, and there is also no legal recourse for victims," Mularczyk added.

He said that Poland wanted to start an international discussion about Germany's attitude and the fact that Berlin had not settled its account with Poland and had not yet replied to the diplomatic note sent by Warsaw.