LAOS President Again Raises Nazi Reparations Issue in Greek Parliament

By Stella Tsolakidou

Popular Orthodox Rally (LA.O.S) president George Karatzaferis on Tuesday raised again the issue of the German war reparations claimed by Greece for atrocities committed by Nazi and occupation troops in WWII.
In a current question to the prime minister tabled in parliament, Karatzaferis underlined that the recent negative ruling issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, affecting the case of the south-central Greek village of Distomo, highlights the obvious responsibility that lies with the Greek governments and the justice ministers that have served in office until today. He also underlined that the activation of the Greek First Instance Court ruling on the confiscation of German property in Greece is imperative.

The judgment issued by the ICJ affects the case of the south-central Greek village of Distomo, where Nazi troops killed 214 civilians on June 10, 1944, one of the numerous instances of WWII atrocities in occupied Greece.
In a document forwarded to parliament on Tuesday, FM Stavros Dimas underlined that the Greek government will study the ICJ ruling issued on the case that concerned the confiscation of German property on Italian soil for reparations to be paid to victims of Distomo massacre. He underlined that the issue of German war reparations is still open and that Greece raises the issue regularly within the framework of bilateral meetings between senior government officials and competent ministries.