Berlin congratulates Polish nationalist on win, urges cooperation

BERLIN: Germany's president on Monday congratulated nationalist Karol Nawrocki on winning Poland's presidential election, calling on the two countries to "cooperate closely based on democracy and rule of law".Poland and Germany are key to "ensuring a future of security, freedom and prosperity for Europe", Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement, after Nawrocki defeated pro-EU Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski in a run-off Sunday.The nationalist historian's victory is a major blow to Poland's pro-EU government and could revive tensions with the bloc as well as with Berlin.After Germany's new Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Warsaw last month, Nawrocki accused Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who is from the same party as Trzaskowksi, of being Germany's "butler".He has frequently called for Berlin to pay reparations for World War II, when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. He told a Polish daily that "reparations are about historical justice" and pledged to "fight for them from the first day of my presidency".In his statement, Steinmeier said that Berlin "is aware of its perpetual responsibility for the great suffering that Germans have brought upon Poland".A government spokesman later added at a regular press briefing that Germany considered the issue of reparations settled.

Berlin has rejected previous Polish claims for compensation, saying Warsaw officially renounced such demands in a 1953 accord.Some in Poland dispute the legality of the agreement, pointing to procedural irregularities and arguing that Poland signed it under duress as a satellite of the Soviet Union.The German government's spokesman said he hoped that "a bit of calmness and reason" as well as "a view of Germany based on the facts" would return now that the election campaign was over.Migration is another issue set to cause friction, with Nawrocki urging stricter border controls with Germany to stop migrants from crossing into neighbouring Poland.Soon after taking office, Merz announced plans to crack down on irregular migration by rejecting most asylum seekers at Germany's borders -- moves that have already drawn criticism from Tusk. Steinmeier nevertheless said he hoped that Poland and Germany would work closely together at "a very challenging time for Europe"."A strong Europe needs good German-Polish cooperation," he said.