In unusually strong terms, Poland’s President Bronislaw Komorowski has lambasted his country’s failure to enact a law allowing for the restitution of seized private properties confiscated by the Nazis and the Communists. The Polish leader made his remarks during an interview with the TV channel TVP. “The lack of a bill on re-privatization is a disgrace for Poland,” Komowoski declared, according to media reports. “If such a law is passed, I will not hesitate to sign it.”
Last month Prime Minister Tusk – who is from the same center-right Civic Platform than the president – halted a bill on the issue, arguing that the current economic climate was not favorable. The bill, which has been proposed several times since the collapse of Communism, concerns citizens of many different religious denominations, and less than a fifth of claims are by Jews. Leaders of the World Jewish Congress, the World Jewish Restitution Organization and the US government had criticized Poland for its failure to act, and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski had responded by saying that the Polish courts were the right place to pursue any property claims. Nevertheless, is has been estimated that 89,000 cases are still outstanding, with many properties now in ruins or sold on to third parties.
In a bid to reframe the debate, Komorowski (pictured above during the memorial ceremony at Auschwitz last January) accentuated that many of the claimants still lived in Poland. “There is much hubbub about foreigners. But little is said about Poles who are waiting for the return of property,” he pointed out in the interview.
Restitution and compensation remains a highly sensitive issue in Poland. Komorowski highlighted that Poland was almost alone in Europe in not passing an adequate bill. However, a large section of public opinion holds that Poland should not be made to pay for Nazi and Communist crimes, as the damage done to the country during and after the war had been enormous.
