Arkadiusz Mularczyk, a Member of the European Parliament from Poland's Law and Justice party (PiS), has published the content of a letter he sent to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. In addition to extending congratulations to the Republicans, Mularczyk asked Trump to support Poland in its efforts to secure WWII reparations from Germany.
In his letter, Mularczyk emphasized that his work in the European Parliament focuses on key issues for Poland, including the pursuit of fair compensation for damages inflicted on Poland by Germany during World War II, as well as strengthening transatlantic cooperation between Poland and the United States.
"Here, we count on your support. With your help, our relations will further deepen, and our cooperation will have a positive impact on our part of Europe," Mularczyk highlighted in the letter.
"Strong and courageous voice" of Polish Americans
In the letter to Trump, Mularczyk also sought to convince Trump that the Polish diaspora played a key role in his victory.
"I firmly believe that the United States and Poland can meet the challenges of the modern world together. I am convinced that the election outcome was largely determined by the strong and courageous voice of the large community of Polish Americans who, for years, have supported you in your efforts to promote stability and security. Polonia’s involvement in this year's election was a significant and important part of your victory," the MEP stated.
Mularczyk said he was delighted to watch Trump's close cooperation with the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda. "Your efforts to strengthen security, economic development, and stability in Europe have been important for our region. I also appreciate your commitment to promoting important initiatives such as the Three Seas Initiative, which plays a key role in developing infrastructure and improving security in Central Europe."
During the rule of the United Right coalition, Arkadiusz Mularczyk served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and led a parliamentary team whose report, published in September 2022, estimated the compensation owed to Poland by Germany for damages caused during World War II at 6 trillion 220 billion 609 million zlotys.
In response to the report, German government stated that the issue of reparations and compensation had been closed.
Compensation vs. war reparations
In public debate, the terms "compensation" and "war reparations" are often used interchangeably, but they refer to entirely different forms of restitution. Reparations cover the portion of compensation meant to address material losses suffered by the state. In contrast, compensation pertains to civil claims, referring to individual claims by persons harmed by Germany during World War II.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: Rafał Guz/PAP