Germany has launched a complaint in the United Nations’ highest court against Italy, alleging that it is attempting to seek reparations for Nazi-era war crimes.
In an application to the International Court , Berlin contends that despite a 2012 judgement said that such wild claims were inadmissible, Italy continues to accept cases in its domestic courts.
It claims that over 25 fresh lawsuits too have been refiled in Italy following that judgement.
In several of these cases, the courts have concluded that Germany must compensate the victims.
Berlin claims it is filing the lawsuit now because of two pending instances in which German state-owned assets in Rome might be confiscated to fund compensation payments.
A court in Italy has said it would determine by May 25 whether to compel the sale of specific properties, including several that house German cultural, real historical, and educational organizations.
The case stretches back to 2008, when Italy’s highest court in the land ordered Germany to pay €1 million (£840,000) to the family of nine victims murdered by German soldiers in Tuscany in 1944.
Germany claims that since World War II ended in 1945, it has already paid out billions of dollars to nations affected by the war.
Its lawsuit cites a section of the 2012 judgement that states Italy “violated its commitment to preserve the immunity which the Federal Republic of Germany clearly enjoys under customary international law” by allowing the claims to be heard in its courts.
The International Court of Justice may take years to rule, but Germany has urged the court to also take steps to prevent Italy from auctioning off any land while its bigger case is being heard.
The International Court of Justice , situated in The Hague, Netherlands, is the UN’s main judicial body, with one of its main responsibilities being the settlement of international legal disputes.
