“It’s as absurd as if the perpetrator of an accident didn’t pay the victim—only the victim’s own family did,” admitted the head of the Presidential Chancellery, Zbigniew Bogucki, commenting on the concept presented in Berlin by Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Mateusz Morawiecki and Mariusz Błaszczak also weighed in.
The controversial course of the joint press conference by Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Chancellor Friedrich Merz before the interministerial consultations has ignited public debate. Particularly contentious were the words of the Polish prime minister regarding compensation for the surviving victims of the German invasion during World War II.
Tusk stated in Berlin that around 50,000 people who suffered during the war are still alive today.
He added that when he discussed compensation in recent years with former chancellor Olaf Scholz, the number was around 60,000 people.
“Hurry up if you truly want to make such a gesture,” he urged the German side.
He indicated that if there is no quick and unequivocal declaration from Germany, next year he will consider a decision for Poland to meet this need using its own funds.
“I don’t want to say anything more about this,” he concluded.
The proposal to compensate victims of German crimes using Polish taxpayers’ money shocked commentators. Political opponents of the prime minister responded loudly.
“German crimes are Germany’s responsibility. They must be compensated—but not at Poland’s expense! Why is the Civic Coalition government again choosing Berlin’s interests over Warsaw’s?” wrote former prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
“Friedrich Merz couldn’t have dreamed of a better gift,” added the head of the Law and Justice parliamentary club, Mariusz Błaszczak.
“This is not just shame—it’s treason!” thundered Dariusz Matecki.
“Is this being done deliberately so that the German plan to shift responsibility onto Poles finally succeeds…?” asked Anna Kwiecień.
Paweł Lisiecki exposed the prime minister’s concept even more sharply.
“It’s as absurd as if the perpetrator of an accident didn’t pay the victim—only the victim’s own family did,” reacted Zbigniew Bogucki, head of the Presidential Chancellery.