Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and President Karol Nawrocki engaged in a heated debate over WWII reparations from Germany, with Sikorski accusing the president of dodging the issue.
Emotive Language Alleged
Sikorski accused Nawrocki of shifting focus to diplomatic language in a personal meeting, saying, “When a politician talks about themselves in the third person, it means they’re starting to bounce back.” The Foreign Minister claimed for years Poland’s bilateral relations with the US have been unsuccessful, further suggesting President Nawrocki took on a potentially daunting task.
Preparations for Berlin Visit
Leading up to the Berlin visit scheduled for September 16th, the meeting highlighted ongoing tensions within the government over the Hitler-era debts. While President Nawrocki underlined the possibility of partnership based on truth, Foreign Minister Sikorski maintained his stance that the subject was closed and unrecoverable.
Note Diplomatique Sent to Germany
In October 2022, former Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau submitted a diplomatic note to Germany, detailing compensation requirements for damages post-1939. The note requested 6.22 billion zlotys and indicated that the situation with Germany’s reparations remains unresolved as of January 2023, with the German government asserting no intent to negotiate further.
Anna Fotyga’s Stance from 2006
In her response to an interpellation in 2006 as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anna Fotyga emphasized the definitive stance on the matter, stating that Poland had relinquished its right to reparations from Germany. Two years later, in 2022, Fotyga clarified her position differed from the previously mentioned statement.
