Arkadiusz Mularczyk announced the move at a news conference on Thursday, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
He said the draft document had been signed by 35 lawmakers from 11 countries.
'Asymmetry' in how countries have been compensated for WWII losses
Mularczyk told reporters that the proposed resolution highlighted “the asymmetry” in how various countries have been compensated for their wartime losses.
He said: “The citizens of certain countries have received compensation, while the citizens of other countries, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, haven’t.”
Mularczyk added: “Obviously we are aware of this, but not Europe, but not the member countries of the Council of Europe, and that’s why we want this issue to be investigated.”
He stated that “the legal arrangements established by Germany favour the countries of Western Europe, at the expense of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.”
'The whole process usually takes between a year and 18 months'
Mularczyk said that earlier on Thursday he "outlined the draft resolution" to the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović.
“We expect the Commissioner to take up this matter,” he added.
Mularczyk also said he hoped the draft resolution would receive “broad backing in the Council of Europe,” resulting in the preparation of a report on the issue, and finally in the adoption of the resolution by the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly.
“The whole process usually takes between a year and 18 months,” he told the media in Warsaw on Thursday, state news agency PAP reported.
Poland demands WWII damages from Germany
The proposed Council of Europe resolution is part of Poland’s push to secure compensation from Germany for World War II, according to officials.
In September last year, Poland's government announced that the losses suffered by the country at the hands of Nazi Germany during World War II totalled PLN 6.22 trillion (EUR 1.3 trillion) and that it would demand compensation from Berlin.
In October, Polish Foreign Minister Zbgniew Rau signed a formal note to the government in Berlin, demanding compensation for losses Poland sustained during the war.
According to the German government, "the issue of reparations and compensation for World War II losses remains closed” and Berlin "does not intend to enter into negotiations on the matter," officials have said.
The Council of Europe is an international organisation that brings together 46 countries aiming to uphold democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Europe.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, wpolityce.pl