Vote opens the way for compensation to be paid to Nazi slave laborers

The Bundestag has passed a bill, opening the way for German firms to make compensation payments to people forced to work as slave laborers under the Third Reich. Commenting on the decision, Polish Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek said, "It is the day we have been waiting for. We know that the compensation is not full, but such compensation is impossible." Under an international agreement, Germany is obliged to pay DM10 billion to former forced laborers from Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and the Czech Republic, as well as to Jews from various countries, mainly the USA. A total of 450,000 Polish forced laborers will share DM1.9 billion. The compensation will be paid through the "Pojednanie" fund. (Rzeczpospolita, p.A1) A.Z.