Just a few days after Chancellor Merkel‘s visit to Athens, it appears that the German government remains negative towards the issue of war compensations, concerning either reparations, or the forced loan in Nazi-occupied Greece.
According to a German government spokesman, all issues concerning compensations from the Second World War are totally and definitively resolved. “There can be no process under which any government, or specific members thereof, such as foreign ministers, can negotiate compensations,” he added.
It is rumored that Chancellor Merkel, during her recent visit to Athens, was asked about the issue by Greece’s Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos. However she declined an answer and suggested he discuss it with the competent German minister. The German government spokesman commenting on the incident refused to elaborate. “I beg for your understanding, our principle is not to reveal the Chancellor’s confidential discussions with any leader,” he said.
It is estimated that the war reparations to Greece would amount to 162 billion euros, which is half of Greece’s total debt. however the German government denies owing anything further to Greece after paying 115 million marks in 1960 according to one of 12 war agreements signed with western nations. The Greek government believed that amount was only an initial payment and that the rest of its claims would be discussed after Germany’s reunification, which came in 1990. However, discussions have remained frozen ever since.
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