PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 27710/05) against the Republic of Poland lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by a Polish national, Ms Lidia Kita (“the applicant”), on 18 July 2005.

The applicant was represented by Mr A. Polewczak, a lawyer practising in Opole. The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr J. Wołąsiewicz, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On 23 October 2007 the President of the Fourth Section of the Court decided to give notice of the application to the Government. Applying Article 29 § 3 of the Convention, it was decided to rule on the admissibility and merits of the application at the same time.

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicant was born in 1961 and lives in Brzeg.

A. Proceedings concerning the issuance of a building permit

On 2 July 1997 the applicant applied for a building permit in order to join two flats she rented by way of building an internal stairway.

On 15 July 1997 the Brzeg District Office issued the building permit as requested. The chairman of the Brzeg Municipal Property Management Board (Miejski Zarząd Mienia Komunalnego) lodged an interlocutory appeal against that decision.

On 29 August 1997 the Governor of Opole upheld the District Office’s decision. The chairman of the Brzeg Municipal Property Management Board lodged an appeal against that decision. The applicant built a stairway between the two apartments in compliance with the building permit.

On 24 March 1999 the Supreme Administrative Court quashed both decisions and referred the case back for reconsideration, stating inter alia that the applicant had no right to make use of the flat for construction purposes.

On 16 July 1999 the applicant lodged a complaint alleging inactivity on the part of the mayor of Brzeg with the Supreme Administrative Court.

On 18 April 2001 the Supreme Administrative Court admitted that the proceedings in question had been lengthy and ordered the mayor to deal with the case within two months of the judgment being served on the parties.

On 5 July 2001 the mayor of Brzeg discontinued the relevant proceedings as being without purpose (bezprzedmiotowe), given the fact that the stairway had already been built. The applicant lodged an interlocutory appeal against that decision.

On 24 September 2001 the Opole Self-Government Board of Appeal (Samorządowe Kolegium Odwoławcze) quashed the contested decision and referred the case back for reconsideration.

On 29 January 2002 the Brzeg District Governor’s Office discontinued the relevant proceedings on the same basis as the mayor of Brzeg. The applicant lodged an interlocutory appeal against that decision.

On 24 April 2002 the Governor of Opole upheld the impugned decision. The applicant appealed.

On 21 December 2004 the Opole Regional Administrative Court dismissed the applicant’s appeal.

On 20 January 2005 the applicant applied for a legal-aid lawyer to be appointed in order to lodge a cassation appeal on her behalf against the Regional Administrative Court’s decision.

On 7 March 2005 the Regional Administrative Court dismissed the applicant’s request.

On 14 June 2005 the Supreme Administrative Court upheld the lower court decision.

Eventually, the applicant failed to lodge a cassation appeal.

B. Civil proceedings for payment

On an unspecified date the Brzeg Municipality instituted civil proceedings for payment against the applicant, also seeking to have the flat vacated.

On 8 September 1999 the Brzeg District Court allowed most of the plaintiff’s claim. The applicant lodged an appeal against that judgment.

On 6 March 2000 the Opole Regional Court varied the lower court’s judgment so as to reduce considerably the amount of the payment awarded to the plaintiff.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a4_e1
001-87574_a4_em1
CODE
DIRECT
27710/05
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-87574_a4_e2
001-87574_a4_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
ETHNIC
insert
001-87574_a4_e3
001-87574_a4_em3
DEM
NO_MASK
Polish national
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a4_e4
001-87574_a4_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Ms Lidia Kita
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001-87574_a4_e5
001-87574_a4_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
18 July 2005
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001-87574_a4_e6
001-87574_a4_em6
PERSON
QUASI
Mr A. Polewczak
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87574_a4_e7
001-87574_a4_em7
LOC
NO_MASK
Opole
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-87574_a4_e8
001-87574_a4_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
Polish Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a4_e9
001-87574_a4_em9
PERSON
NO_MASK
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87574_a4_e10
001-87574_a4_em10
ORG
NO_MASK
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a4_e11
001-87574_a4_em11
DATETIME
QUASI
23 October 2007
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a4_e12
001-87574_a4_em12
DATETIME
QUASI
1961
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001-87574_a4_e13
001-87574_a4_em13
LOC
QUASI
Brzeg
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001-87574_a4_e14
001-87574_a4_em14
DATETIME
QUASI
2 July 1997
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001-87574_a4_e15
001-87574_a4_em15
DATETIME
QUASI
15 July 1997
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001-87574_a4_e16
001-87574_a4_em16
ORG
QUASI
Brzeg District Office
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87574_a4_e17
001-87574_a4_em17
ORG
QUASI
Brzeg Municipal Property Management Board (Miejski Zarząd Mienia Komunalnego)
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001-87574_a4_e18
001-87574_a4_em18
DATETIME
QUASI
29 August 1997
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001-87574_a4_e19
001-87574_a4_em19
ORG
NO_MASK
Governor of Opole
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001-87574_a4_e20
001-87574_a4_em20
ORG
NO_MASK
District Office’s
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insert
001-87574_a4_e21
001-87574_a4_em21
ORG
QUASI
Brzeg Municipal Property Management Board
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001-87574_a4_e22
001-87574_a4_em22
DATETIME
QUASI
24 March 1999
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001-87574_a4_e23
001-87574_a4_em23
ORG
NO_MASK
Supreme Administrative Court
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001-87574_a4_e24
001-87574_a4_em24
DATETIME
QUASI
16 July 1999
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001-87574_a4_e13
001-87574_a4_em25
LOC
QUASI
Brzeg
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001-87574_a4_e23
001-87574_a4_em26
ORG
NO_MASK
Supreme Administrative Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a4_e25
001-87574_a4_em27
DATETIME
QUASI
18 April 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a4_e23
001-87574_a4_em28
ORG
NO_MASK
Supreme Administrative Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a4_e26
001-87574_a4_em29
DATETIME
NO_MASK
two months
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001-87574_a4_e27
001-87574_a4_em30
DATETIME
QUASI
5 July 2001
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001-87574_a4_e13
001-87574_a4_em31
LOC
QUASI
Brzeg
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001-87574_a4_e28
001-87574_a4_em32
DATETIME
QUASI
24 September 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87574_a4_e29
001-87574_a4_em33
ORG
NO_MASK
Opole Self-Government Board of Appeal (Samorządowe Kolegium Odwoławcze)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a4_e30
001-87574_a4_em34
DATETIME
QUASI
29 January 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87574_a4_e31
001-87574_a4_em35
ORG
QUASI
Brzeg District Governor’s Office
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a4_e13
001-87574_a4_em36
LOC
QUASI
Brzeg
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a4_e32
001-87574_a4_em37
DATETIME
QUASI
24 April 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a4_e19
001-87574_a4_em38
ORG
NO_MASK
Governor of Opole
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a4_e33
001-87574_a4_em39
DATETIME
QUASI
21 December 2004
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a4_e34
001-87574_a4_em40
ORG
NO_MASK
Opole Regional Administrative Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a4_e35
001-87574_a4_em41
DATETIME
QUASI
20 January 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a4_e36
001-87574_a4_em42
ORG
NO_MASK
Regional Administrative Court’s
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001-87574_a4_e37
001-87574_a4_em43
DATETIME
QUASI
7 March 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a4_e38
001-87574_a4_em44
ORG
NO_MASK
Regional Administrative Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a4_e39
001-87574_a4_em45
DATETIME
QUASI
14 June 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a4_e23
001-87574_a4_em46
ORG
NO_MASK
Supreme Administrative Court
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correct
001-87574_a4_e40
001-87574_a4_em47
ORG
QUASI
Brzeg Municipality
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check
001-87574_a4_e41
001-87574_a4_em48
DATETIME
QUASI
8 September 1999
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001-87574_a4_e42
001-87574_a4_em49
ORG
QUASI
Brzeg District Court
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001-87574_a4_e43
001-87574_a4_em50
DATETIME
QUASI
6 March 2000
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check
001-87574_a4_e44
001-87574_a4_em51
ORG
NO_MASK
Opole Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a6_e1
001-87574_a6_em1
CODE
DIRECT
27710/05
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e2
001-87574_a6_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a6_e3
001-87574_a6_em3
DEM
QUASI
Polish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a6_e4
001-87574_a6_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Ms Lidia Kita
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001-87574_a6_e5
001-87574_a6_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
18 July 2005
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001-87574_a6_e6
001-87574_a6_em6
PERSON
QUASI
Mr A. Polewczak
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-87574_a6_e7
001-87574_a6_em7
LOC
QUASI
Opole
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-87574_a6_e2
001-87574_a6_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
001-87574_a6_em2
Polish Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e8
001-87574_a6_em9
PERSON
QUASI
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
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001-87574_a6_e9
001-87574_a6_em10
DATETIME
QUASI
23 October 2007
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001-87574_a6_e10
001-87574_a6_em11
DATETIME
QUASI
1961
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001-87574_a6_e11
001-87574_a6_em12
LOC
QUASI
Brzeg
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001-87574_a6_e12
001-87574_a6_em13
DATETIME
QUASI
2 July 1997
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001-87574_a6_e13
001-87574_a6_em14
DATETIME
QUASI
15 July 1997
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001-87574_a6_e14
001-87574_a6_em15
ORG
QUASI
Brzeg District Office
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e15
001-87574_a6_em16
ORG
QUASI
Brzeg Municipal Property Management Board
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-87574_a6_e15
001-87574_a6_em17
ORG
QUASI
001-87574_a6_em16
Miejski Zarząd Mienia Komunalnego
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e16
001-87574_a6_em18
DATETIME
QUASI
29 August 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e7
001-87574_a6_em19
LOC
QUASI
Opole
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87574_a6_e14
001-87574_a6_em20
ORG
NO_MASK
001-87574_a6_em15
District Office
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a6_e15
001-87574_a6_em21
ORG
QUASI
Brzeg Municipal Property Management Board
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check
001-87574_a6_e17
001-87574_a6_em22
DATETIME
QUASI
24 March 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e18
001-87574_a6_em23
ORG
NO_MASK
Supreme Administrative Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e19
001-87574_a6_em24
DATETIME
QUASI
16 July 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a6_e11
001-87574_a6_em25
LOC
QUASI
Brzeg
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e18
001-87574_a6_em26
ORG
NO_MASK
Supreme Administrative Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e20
001-87574_a6_em27
DATETIME
QUASI
18 April 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e18
001-87574_a6_em28
ORG
NO_MASK
Supreme Administrative Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e21
001-87574_a6_em29
DATETIME
QUASI
two months
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a6_e22
001-87574_a6_em30
DATETIME
QUASI
5 July 2001
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001-87574_a6_e11
001-87574_a6_em31
LOC
QUASI
Brzeg
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001-87574_a6_e23
001-87574_a6_em32
DATETIME
QUASI
24 September 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e24
001-87574_a6_em33
ORG
QUASI
Opole Self-Government Board of Appeal
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-87574_a6_e24
001-87574_a6_em34
ORG
QUASI
001-87574_a6_em33
Samorządowe Kolegium Odwoławcze
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e25
001-87574_a6_em35
DATETIME
QUASI
29 January 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a6_e11
001-87574_a6_em36
LOC
QUASI
Brzeg
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a6_e26
001-87574_a6_em37
DATETIME
QUASI
24 April 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e7
001-87574_a6_em38
LOC
QUASI
Opole
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-87574_a6_e27
001-87574_a6_em39
DATETIME
QUASI
21 December 2004
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e28
001-87574_a6_em40
ORG
QUASI
Opole Regional Administrative Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e29
001-87574_a6_em41
DATETIME
QUASI
20 January 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-87574_a6_e28
001-87574_a6_em42
ORG
NO_MASK
001-87574_a6_em40
Regional Administrative Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e30
001-87574_a6_em43
DATETIME
QUASI
7 March 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e28
001-87574_a6_em44
ORG
NO_MASK
Regional Administrative Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e31
001-87574_a6_em45
DATETIME
QUASI
14 June 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e18
001-87574_a6_em46
ORG
NO_MASK
Supreme Administrative Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-87574_a6_e32
001-87574_a6_em47
ORG
QUASI
Brzeg Municipality
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e33
001-87574_a6_em48
DATETIME
QUASI
8 September 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e34
001-87574_a6_em49
ORG
QUASI
Brzeg District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e35
001-87574_a6_em50
DATETIME
QUASI
6 March 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-87574_a6_e28
001-87574_a6_em51
ORG
QUASI
001-87574_a6_em40
Opole Regional Court
Lidia Kita
POL
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Lidia Kita