Greece to pursue claim for reparations from Germany over WWIIApril 24, 2013 - 15:58 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Greece is planning to pursue a long-dormant claim for reparations from Germany over World War Two, a further strain on relations with Berlin, which foots most of the bill for its 240-billion euro rescue, Reuters reported. The Finance Ministry has compiled a report that takes stock of all relating available documents spanning more than six decades, Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos told parliament on Wednesday, April 24. It will be submitted to Greece's legal advisers and then Athens will decide how to officially press its claim, he said. Avramopoulos did not say how much would be sought. "We will exhaust every means available to arrive to a result," he told lawmakers. "One can't compare the times, but also not erase the memories." Germany, whose forces occupied Greece in World War Two, says it has already paid all reparations owed. The issue has resurfaced since last year as Greece suffers under austerity measures imposed on it by its creditors, mainly Germany, as a condition for its international EU/IMF bailout. Avramopoulos said it was wrong to link the issue to the debt crisis. "This has been an open issue for 60 years, it is too large an issue to fit into the confines of the fiscal crisis," he said. Greece's fragile coalition government has so far earned praise from Chancellor Angela Merkel for starting to fix Greece's finances. But conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras was pushed to raise the reparation issue by the main opposition, anti-bailout Syriza party. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |