Warsaw demands compensation, Berlin refuses.

Poland on Thursday (September 1st) estimated the financial cost of World War II losses at 1.3 trillion euros (6.2 trillion zlotys), with the ruling party chairman saying he would "ask the 'Germany to negotiate these reparations'.

This figure was communicated during a conference devoted to the presentation of a report on the losses of Poland during the Second World War.

Of this total "a very important part is the compensation for the death of more than 5.2 million Polish citizens", stressed Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, adding that the process before the Poland does not receive these reparations would be "long and difficult".

According to the report, material losses are estimated at 170 billion euros (800 billion zlotys).

Germany on Thursday rejected these claims for compensation, considering that this question was "closed".

"The position of the federal government has not changed, the issue of reparations is closed," said a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Poland waived further reparations a long time ago, in 1953, and has confirmed this waiver several times," he added.

“The Germans did enormous damage to us”

Since coming to power in 2015, PiS has often raised the issue of reparations.

Work on this report began in 2017.

"We have not only prepared a report, which is an open document and which will certainly be completed, but we have also taken a decision, a decision on further action, added Jaroslaw Kaczynski, and this action consists in asking the Germany to negotiate these reparations. And it is a decision that we will implement."

"The Germans invaded Poland and did enormous damage to us. The occupation was unbelievably criminal, unbelievably cruel and caused effects that in many cases continue to this day," he said. President of the PiS.

Polish conservatives dispute the German version, according to which Poland waived war reparations in 1953.

With AFP

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