ARROGANCE - Schaeuble Says Greece Should Focus On Reforms And Forget Reparations Claim

(Photo  Medienmagazin pro)

German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble believes that Greece should forget about the 162 billion Euros war claims, noting that this has already been settled, and that Athens should rather concentrate on reforms. In his opinion, it would be a waste of time for Greek authorities to even consider raising such a reparations claim. Oh Really Mr. Schaeuble?

    "As regards the compensation claim [by Greece], I cannot see any hope because the issue was clarified some time ago," Schaeuble reportedly told the Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung newspaper.

Following the statements, Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos stated that the reforms being carried out in Greece bear no relation – and can bear no relation – to the issue of German reparations.

    "What’s more, German reparations are an issue that the Greek state has been raising for many years now. Whether this case has been resolved or not is determined by international justice, given that, by its nature, this issue concerns international law and the international justice organs. Greece is not ‘losing its focus’ on the reform policy, despite the great sacrifices the Greek people are shouldering.”

Earlier this week, Avramopoulos officially forwarded the confidential report to Legal Council of State President Fokionas Georgakopoulos. The report was compiled by a General Accounting Office working group concerning files contained in Greece's archives relating to WW I and WWII war reparations claims. A foreign ministry announcement said that the file was forwarded to Georgakopoulos for legal evaluation, processing and to substantiate the Greek State's claims, asking him to submit an opinion.

Reports in the Greek press claim that the total amount is made up of 108 billion necessary to rebuild Greece's post-war economy and 54 billion Euros corresponding to a forced war-time loan to Germany.

    "I consider such reports irresponsible," Schaeuble noted to the German local newspaper. "Much more important than being led down a wrong path would be for someone to direct them towards the road of reforms."
    "Greece has achieved a lot to this point, but has some way left to go. And it must not be distracted from this road."