Greek president: Reparation demand from Germany ‘legal’

By Furkan Naci Top

ATHENS (AA) - Greek president on Friday said the issue of war reparations to his country from Germany is "legal".

The remarks of Prokopis Pavlopoulos came after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is in the capital Athens on an official visit.

The demands of Greece regarding the reparations for crimes of the "inhuman" Nazi invasion of Greece and the occupational loan issue are "legal" and "legally enforceable," Pavlopoulos told reporters.

He said: "We have to solve the issue at a competent judicial forum based on our common international and European law culture," Pavlopoulos said.

Merkel, for her part, said they are aware of the crimes that Nazis had committed in Greece.

"Therefore, from the angle of both countries' interests, supporting Greece is an issue of heart," Merkel added.

* Fatih Hafiz Mehmet contributed to this report from Ankara