Greece to push for World War II claim from Germany

GREECE is planning to push ahead with its long-dormant claim for reparations from Germany over the Second World War, a further strain on relations with Berlin, which foots most of the bill for its €240 billion (£205bn) rescue.
Dimitris Avramopoulos says the occupation cannot be forgotten. Picture: GettyDimitris Avramopoulos says the occupation cannot be forgotten. Picture: Getty
Dimitris Avramopoulos says the occupation cannot be forgotten. Picture: Getty

The Finance Ministry has compiled a report that takes stock of all relating available documents spanning more than six decades, Greek foreign minister Dimitris Avramopoulos told parliament yesterday.

It will be submitted to Greece’s legal advisers and then Athens will decide how to officially press its claim, he said.

Mr Avramopoulos did not say how much would be sought.

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“We will exhaust every means available to arrive to a result,” he told MPs. “One can’t compare the times, but also not erase the memories.”

Germany, whose forces ­occupied Greece in the Second World War, says it has already paid all reparations owed.

The issue has resurfaced after last year as Greece suffers under austerity measures imposed on it by its creditors, mainly Germany, as a condition for its international European Union /International Monetary Fund bailout.

Mr Avramopoulos said it was wrong to link the issue to the debt crisis.

“This has been an open issue for 60 years. It is too large an issue to fit into the confines of the fiscal crisis,” he said.

Greece’s fragile coalition government has earned praise from chancellor Angela Merkel for starting to fix its finances.

But conservative prime minister Antonis Samaras was pushed to raise reparation by the main opposition, the anti-bailout Syriza party, which has been unrelentingly hostile to Berlin.

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