The Minister of Justice Nikos Paraskevopoulos has announced that he is prepared to enforce the Supreme Court decision from 2000 regarding the compensation of the victims of the Nazi atrocities committed by German soldiers in Distomo.
The Supreme Court ruling provides the foreclosure of German assets in Greece. Mr. Paraskevopoulos, who made the announcement from the stand in Parliament, argued that the ruling remains enforceable. He further explained that the time when the court ruling will be enforced depends on the legal complexity of the matter, along with the political negotiations that will take place and the opinion in Parliament.
Mr. Paraskevopoulos had referred to the controversial matter when the government made its policy statement in February, when he hinted that the government would pursue reparations and payment for the occupation loans via court order.
The massacre in Distomo took place on the 10th of June 1944 and was carried out by Waffen-SS members. The German forces entered the village and massacred 214 men, women and children, with survivors reporting that babies were bayoneted in their cribs, pregnant women were stabbed and the village priest was beheaded. Germany has consistently refused to enter discussions on the matter.
