How would today’s opposition negotiate with Germany over reparations for World War II? among others this question was answered by MP Krzysztof Gawkowski, head of the Parliamentary Club of the Left, who was a guest of “Rozmowy Dnia” on Polish radio PiK.
Michał Jędryka: The Germans responded to the Polish note on reparations for World War II. The answer is negative. The Germans do not want to deal with this problem, they consider the matter closed. What should Poland do – in your opinion – in this situation?
Krzysztof Gawkowski: I don’t think this answer surprises anyone, because mistakes were made at the very beginning of the whole process. First, political efforts were made, then diplomatic efforts, and it should be the other way around – diplomacy first, then external communication. Law and Justice wanted to play politics on this trial and it loses this policy.
Today, I do not see the possibility of opening this door easily. I think we have to talk behind the scenes and that is the task of Polish diplomacy – to meet with German diplomats, to try to put pressure, because if we only send notes, we will end up getting a negative response.
If the opposition won the elections to be held this year and took power, what policy would it pursue in this regard?
– She would certainly look for a compromise and partners who would have a position similar to Poland, and would not wave a saber and say that it is we who are going to start the process of destroying international relations between Poland-Germany and Warsaw-Berlin. He will end up without compensation money or good relations. The fact is that we should be able to translate good relations into some money due to war losses. I think this is the easiest way.
Some observers – as well as some ruling party politicians – say that if the Germans come under pressure and talks take place behind the scenes, they will change their position after a while, as they will not want to promote their statehood image. which firmly closes this road. Do you think there is such a chance?
– There is always a chance, skillful diplomacy counts – the one who speaks first, conducts negotiations quietly, tries to get lobbyists. Even in the German parliament, among the members of the Bundestag, he looks for people who will talk about it well, and in the end he tries to sum it all up in diplomatic notes. Reverse politics – one that first seeks a political quarrel inside Poland, because that’s how it started, and only then tries to get away with it, always ends in defeat.
But politics is always a game that has two sides – external and internal. It is difficult to conduct such a completely hidden game in a developed democracy.
But this is not a backstage game. Let me remind you that we first insulted Germany with the mouths of law and justice politicians, and only later we started writing the application. Several months passed between the report and the conclusion, and during this time in Poland – step by step, Sejm session after Sejm session – negative words were spoken. We are partners of Germany, together we are in the European Union, we have had the biggest economic exchange for years, relations are normalized, so you have to talk to them in a cultured way, not in a way that you would first take a hammer and nails, drive them into someone, then talk about compromise. (…)
