Devoted to the subject of possible legal channels for seeking reparations, the conference had Secretary of State Arkadiusz Mularczyk and Professor Prokopios Pavlopoulos, former President of the Hellenic Republic, as the keynote speakers. It also brought together a number of established lawyers from Poland, Greece, Italy and Serbia, as well as a delegation from the UK.

Discussions covered three themes:

1. Legal aspects of seeking claims for damage and losses under international public and private law.
2. Possibilities for seeking compensation claims for reparations and redress through international organisations.
3. National experience of case studies as regards seeking individual compensation for damage and losses during World War II.

The conference was launched by Professor Spyridon Flogaitis, Director of EPLO, and Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Government Plenipotentiary for compensation for damage caused by German aggression and occupation in 1939-1945.

The first panellist was Professor of Law Prokopis Pavlopoulos, former President of the Hellenic Republic, who emphasised that Greece’s reparation claims are legally active and enforceable through litigation, drawing attention to the need for political pressure on the German side.

Conference participants agreed that, in order to close the World War II chapter of history, the issue of war reparations for victims of German Nazism—both individuals and states—should be brought to an end. Given the shortcomings of existing legal tools, they furthermore highlighted the need for international cooperation between states, institutions, and civil society organisations from countries where there is a strong sense of harm and a lack of redress. 

The Athens conference was another voice aimed at raising public awareness to seek “post-conflict justice” despite the fact that almost 80 years have passed since the end of WWII. However, these issues are becoming increasingly important today in the face of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

 

MFA Press Office