PM says he will revive bid for German WWII reparations

ATHENS (AP):

Greece’s prime minister says his government will formally revive a long-standing demand for Germany to pay vast reparations for the World War II Nazi occupation.

Alexis Tsipras said Wednesday that now that Greece has exited its bailout programmes – in which Germany was a key creditor – it can’t be accused of trying to offset its massive debt with the reparation demands.

He said Athens will make use of European and international law to back its demands, which Germany has repeatedly rejected.

A Greek cross-party parliamentary committee in 2016 set the country’s claims from Germany at up to €400 billion (US$450 billion).

That sum includes reparations for material damage, human suffering, and a forced loan exacted by Germany during the 1940-44 occupation.