Ostarbeiter Money Almost Paid Out

Almost 99% of the first installment of compensation to former concentration camp and ghetto prisoners, totaling over DM 107,000,000, has already being paid in Ukraine, reports Interfax Ukraine quoting First Deputy Head of the Administrative Board of Mutual Understanding and Reconciliation Ukrainian National Fund Stepan Kosiak. According to him, in the payments period in Ukraine around 12,000 former prisoners of concentration camps and 2,000 those of ghettos were registered by the German Federal Fund. These people received their compensation first. Those who are still in the process of collecting their documents have not received their money yet. “In other words, all living former death camps and ghettos prisoners have already been paid 60% of their compensation money,” Mr. Kosiak stressed. According to him, compensation money for 142,000 persons has been received, with 95,000 already paid. Mr. Kosiak also announced that “literally two days ago” another installment was transferred for 42,000 persons. Mr. Kosiak recalled that his fund serves as a partner organization for the German one. The money goes to the National Bank of Ukraine, the Ukrainian fund prepares payment documents for people to whom money is earmarked, and transfers these documents to authorized banks to carry out payment throughout Ukraine. Mr. Kosiak also said that there were no problems with the accounting and paying money due to an “established scheme.” At the same time, he stated that “many people claim their rights, unfortunately with no documents to completely prove their involvement in forced labor.” At present, according to Mr. Kosiak, the Ukrainian fund has sent around 40,000 requests to international investigation bureaus to verify such documents. He also said that 65% of the compensation “is planned to be paid during the first or, at least, second quarter of 2003.”