Arkadiusz Mularczyk made the statement in an interview with Polish state news agency PAP on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, the Polish foreign ministry said in a statement that Germany had responded to Poland’s formal diplomatic note from October in which Warsaw demanded more than PLN 6 trillion in compensation for World War II.
According to the German government, the issue of reparations and compensation for World War II losses “remains closed” and Berlin does not intend to enter into negotiations on the matter, officials said.
‘Germany’s response is disrespectful to Poland and Polish people’
Mularczyk commented: “My view of Germany’s response is very negative and critical.”
He told the PAP news agency that Berlin’s reply “to an extensive note from Poland” was “virtually one-sentence-long, saying that according to the German government, the topic is closed.”
Mularczyk said: “This means that the reply doesn’t contain any legal justification … so in fact we don’t know what the German government’s case is for considering the topic to be closed.”
He added: “Secondly, this reply is disrespectful towards Poland and the Polish people. Poland’s losses were unimaginable and the Germans received our report detailing the issue. This response, addressing the matter in a single sentence, shows a totally disrespectful attitude towards Poland and the Polish people.”
Mularczyk also said he was not surprised by how Berlin responded.
He stated: “Germany is not pursuing a friendly policy towards Poland. They seek to create a sphere of influence here and they treat Poland as a vassal.”
“However, we will continue our consistent and intensive efforts to secure compensation for World War II,” Mularczyk vowed, adding that Poland would seek to engage in dialogue with Germany “through international organisations.”
He later tweeted: "The position of the German foreign ministry on our note is false. The case of unsettled compensation for Poland for the effects of WWII remains open, morally, politically, and legally."
Mularczyk added: "We have an international campaign ahead of us, but I am sure that we will win for both Poland and Poles!"
'German government does not intend to enter into negotiations'
Tuesday’s statement by the Polish foreign ministry read: “On December 28, 2022, Germany’s foreign ministry responded to the Polish foreign ministry’s note of October 3, 2022. The note was supplied to the Polish foreign ministry on January 3, 2023.”
The statement added: “According to the German government, the issue of reparations and compensation for war losses remains closed and the German government does not intend to enter into negotiations on the matter.”
The foreign ministry in Warsaw added: “The Polish government will continue its efforts to secure the payment Poland is due as a result of the German aggression and occupation between 1939 and 1945.”
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, gov.pl, wpolityce.pl