Country demands R3.6tn from Germany
GREECE has demanded nearly ß279- billion (R3.6-trillion) in reparations from Germany, more than the value of its current bailout, as the cashstrapped country continues to pursue compensation for crimes carried out by the Third Reich.
A parliamentary committee established by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras put an official number on the claim, which includes the cost of a forced Nazi loan made by the Bank of Greece and the return of archaeological treasures.
Greece suffered a brutal occupation at the hands of the Third Reich in 1941, with more than 40 000 people starving to death in Athens alone. Previous Greek calculations for the cost of the country’s occupation have stood at ß160- billion (R2.06-trillion).
The revised figure, however, amounts to nearly 10% of Germany’s GDP.