Germany will use WWII reparations as a POWER PLAY: Poland fears of German retribution
GETTY Poland has refused to rule out Second World War reparations from Germany
Some nationalist politicians have said it is a “moral duty” to insist on reparations while others remain opposed to the idea. Foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski said raising the issue of compensation was a barrier to potential negotiations with its next-door neighbour. Mr Waszczykowski refused to rule out reparation demands and told state broadcaster TVP: “The issue is a difficult one.”
GETTY Polish foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski
The issue is a difficult one Witold Waszczykowski
He was speaking after an MP from the country’s ruling conservatives asked parliamentary experts for a report on whether Warsaw could claim reparations from Germany for invading Poland during the Second World War. Mr Waszczykowski said: “Today we have powerful opposition against raising this issue at all in talks with Germany.
GETTY Some poles feel Germany ought to pay compensation for the 1938 invasion
"It will be very difficult to undertake talks with the Germans with this type of opposition in our own country, because the Germans will be able to take advantage of this opposition for certain political gameplay against those who will want to undertake substantive legal-political negotiations on possible reparations.” Jarosław Kaczyński, head of the Law and Justice (PiS) party, which came to power in late 2015, said at a convention in July that Poland never received compensation for the massive war damages it suffered in World War II, losses which "we have really still not made up for".
GETTY Polish nationalist commemorate the 1994 Warsaw Uprising
Protesters take to the streets across Poland Mon, July 24, 2017 Thousands take to the streets across Poland to protest against the new bill changing the judiciary system. Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 14 Protesters shout slogans during a protest in front of the presidential palace in Warsaw