In the midst of a severe financial crisis, Greece is trying to find alternative ways to replenish the budget. A variety of options have already been voiced, ranging from the sale of some of the country's islands and ending with Germany billing for the crimes of the Germans during World War II.
The Ministry of Finance of Greece decided to raise the issue of Germany paying reparations at the expense of the damage caused to the country during the Second World War. This was told by the Deputy Minister of Finance of Greece Christos Staykuros. According to him, the Greeks have the right to resolve this issue in a manner that satisfies them.
According to the official, experts will carefully study the archives of the ministry, this will help establish the exact amount of damage. The issue of German debt is very complex, therefore, it must be resolved in accordance with international law.
The issue of reparations was raised back in 2010, by Greek Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Pangalos, who said that during the war years, the invaders removed the country's gold reserves, which destroyed its economy. He also recalled the need to repay a loan of two billion, forcibly issued by Greece to the Germans during World War II.
Given that Germany’s largest contribution to stabilization loans received by Greece is the largest, the Germans felt insulted and did not even want to hear about any new reparations. Germany recalled that the Greeks had already received $ 74 million in reparations under the 1960 treaty, so all Germans' obligations to Greece were canceled.
When evaluating the first statements of the Greeks about new compensations, it is necessary to take into account the fact that they were made during the campaign before the parliamentary elections. As a rule, during its course, candidates do not skimp on promises and high-profile political statements, trying to win the sympathy of voters. Moreover, they don’t lose anything: it’s possible to pull some other means out of Germany - well, it won’t work out - it’s also not scary. The specific amount of the lawsuit against the Germans has not yet been announced, but during the discussion of the issue, figures from 7.5 to 70 billion euros were already mentioned.
The desire of the Greeks to receive additional funds in the context of the financial crisis is quite understandable, however, the presentation of the next financial claims to the Germans may sideways for the country. Germany is already the country's largest European lender; for a long time, its authorities tried in every possible way to avoid Greece leaving the eurozone. But the Germans' patience also has a limit, and the loud statements of the Greeks about reparations may be the last straw. It is possible that the attitude of Germany to the question of the salvation of Greece could change dramatically. Moreover, German financial services are already calculating options for Greece’s most painless exit from the eurozone.
