Polish officials condemn German parliament member’s demand for 1.3 trillion euros in alleged Nord Stream sabotage compensation.
Polish Minister Condemns German MP’s Demand
Polish MP Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy, responded to the controversial remarks made by German MP Kay Gottschalk on Friday, January 23rd on Polsat News. She called the words “absolutely scandalous.”
“I would very much like to hear the comments of this gentleman’s colleagues from Confederation, which apparently no longer only looks to the east with favor, but also to such extreme demands and western circles,” said Dziemianowicz-Bąk.
German MP’s Compensation Demand
Alternative for Germany (AfD) MP Kay Gottschalk suggested in a post on X that Poland should pay Germany 1.3 trillion euros in compensation for alleged involvement in the destruction of the Nord Stream pipeline. “1.3 trillion euros should be sufficient as compensation for involvement in the Nord Stream sabotage,” Gottschalk wrote.
“My first official action as Minister of Finance will be to present these claims to Poland. He who laughs last laughs best,” he added.
Background on Nord Stream Pipeline Destruction
In 2022, explosions destroyed the Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic Sea, resulting in the interruption of Russian gas transit to Europe.
Legal Developments in Poland
Polish authorities have detained a Ukrainian citizen, Wołodymyr Ż., who is suspected by German services of participating in the destruction of the Nord Stream pipeline. In October of the previous year, the Warsaw District Court refused to extradite the man to Germany.
European Parliament Decision Sparks Response
Gottschalk’s compensation demand came in response to a post by Polish MEP Dominik Tarczyński. On Wednesday, January 21st, the European Parliament voted to refer the Mercosur agreement to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed “regret” regarding the European Parliament’s decision. In response, Tarczyński posted: “Germany was slapped in the face today by republican forces. We worked on this quietly and there is an effect. The system is collapsing. This is just the beginning…”
