Greece puts a price tag on WW2 reparations: 279 billion euros

Athens has said Germany should pay nearly 279 billion euros in compensation for the Nazi occupation of the country. The claim comes as Greece faces demands from the IMF to introduce more pension cuts and raise taxes.

Greece demanded 278.7 billion euros ($304.74) from Germany as compensation for damages it incurred during World War Two, Athens deputy finance minister Dimitris Mardas said while speaking to a parliamentary committee on Monday.

According to calculations by Greece's General Accounting Office, reparations amounted to 278.7 billion euros, a sum which a parliamentary panel set up by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was trying to claim from Germany.

This is the first time the Greek government quantified its claims, which included seeking war reparations and a so-called occupation loan that Nazi Germany forced the Bank of Greece to make. Athens also demanded that Berlin return its stolen archaeological treasures.

Germany has rejected Athens' demands, saying it settled the matter with a general compensation payment of 115 million deutschmarks in 1960. However, the issue continues to mar Greek-German relations and has gained more momentum amid Greece's economic crisis and its government's refusal to implement austerity measures.

(Πηγή: www.dw.de)