Newly elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw, and the issue of reparations arose during the press conference.
“The diplomatic decision on reparations was made during the communist era. We really had no say in the matter, we did not decide about it. Did Germany ever compensate for the losses, the tragedy of World War II in Poland? No, of course not,” Tusk told reporters, as reported by Do Rzezcy.
“I am a historian, I am from Gdańsk. I could talk for hours about what this bill looks like. It was never compensated, but we will not ask for it. This is an issue for all parties to consider. I want to focus on Poland and Germany concentrating on building a secure future,” he added.
As for Merz, he remarked only: “As far as the legal issues in the context of possible reparations are concerned, they are concluded.”
Just last September, the 85th anniversary of Nazi Germany invading Poland, President Duda had been sure to raise the issue of the still unpaid reparations for the crimes Germany committed against Poland during the occupation. Earlier in the summer, after the Polish-German intergovernmental consultations in July, Prime Minister Donald Tusk himself had also noted that “there is no amount of money that would compensate for everything that happened during World War II.”
There had been plenty of talk that Tusk would brush aside the issue of reparations in order to smooth over relations with Germany, that is, for the sake of a reset, and it appears that time has finally come. Tusk took the opportunity on Wednesday to announce in front of reporters “a new beginning” in Polish-German relations, emphasizing how important having good relations with Berlin is for Warsaw.
“Today, with full responsibility, I announce a new beginning, perhaps the most important in the history of the last dozen or so years, in Polish-German relations. Thank you for being here with us,” Tusk said.
Turning to Merz, the Polish prime minister added: “We have a real chance to strengthen Polish-German relations in such a way that they serve Poland, Germany, and Europe in the best possible way. I am convinced, I know your views very well, your attitude to our relations, to Poland, to Europe, and I know enough to be optimistic today about the future of our relations.”
The prime minister also noted that Merz had made his first trip as chancellor to France and Poland, saying it proved “how important Polish-German relations are for the future of Europe, and in a sense, for the future of the world.”
Tusk additionally stated that a Weimar Triangle summit should take place in the near future.
The post The issue of unpaid reparations to Poland is ‘concluded,’ says Merz, as Tusk announces a reset in relations with Germany appeared first on Remix News.
