PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 28604/03) 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 Anna Lorenc (“the applicant”), on 21 August 2003.

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

On 1 September 2008 the President of the Fourth Section decided to give notice of the application to the Government. It was also decided to rule on the admissibility and merits of the application at the same time (Article 29 § 3).

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicant was born in 1946 and lives in Jarocin.

A. Background of the case

The applicant’s relative – a certain W.W. – owned the Jarocin Furniture Factory, registered under numbers: no. 87/1 and 87/2 with a surface area of 4,955 square metres. By an administrative decision of 11 January 1955 of the Board of the Poznań National Council (Prezydium Rady Narodowej) the factory and the adjacent land were expropriated. The applicant is one of the heirs of the owner of that property.

B. Administrative proceedings for restitution of the property

On 12 April 2001 the applicant together with other members of her family lodged a request with the Mayor of the Jarocin District (Starosta) for restitution of the property.

On 22 June 2001 the applicant lodged a complaint about the inactivity of the Mayor of the Jarocin District with the District Council (Rada Powiatu). The complaint was referred to the Wielkopolski Governor (Wojewoda) as the competent administrative authority.

On 5 July 2001 the Mayor of the Jarocin District discontinued the proceedings. The applicant appealed.

On 6 September 2001 the Wielkopolski Governor informed the applicant that her complaint about the inactivity of the Mayor of the Jarocin District had been left without consideration since on 5 July 2001 the Mayor had issued a decision.

On 10 September 2001 the Wielkopolski Governor quashed the decision of the Mayor of the Jarocin District and remitted the case.

On 22 October 2001 the Mayor of the Jarocin District stayed the proceedings due to the applicant’s failure to produce all necessary decisions confirming that she had acquired the property as the heir of the deceased owner.

On 18 March 2002 the applicant asked for the resumption of the proceedings, to no avail.

On 10 October 2002 the applicant lodged a complaint about the inactivity of the Mayor of the Jarocin District with the District Council (Rada Powiatu). On 27 December 2002 her complaint was referred to the Wielkopolski Governor.

On 3 June 2003 the Wielkopolski Governor dismissed the complaint about the inactivity of the Mayor of the Jarocin District. It held that even if the applicant had submitted all of the necessary testamentary evidence, the proceedings would not have been resumed until the conclusion of the administrative proceedings concerning the applicant’s request for a declaration that the expropriation decision was null and void (see below).

The proceedings are still stayed.

C. Administrative proceedings to declare the expropriation decision null and void

On 6 August 2001 the applicant lodged an application with the Office for Housing and Town Development (Urząd Mieszkalnictwa i Rozwoju Miast) for a declaration that the expropriation decision of 11 January 1955 was null and void.

By a decision of 9 May 2002 the President of the Office for Housing and Town Development (Prezes Urzędu Mieszkalnictwa i Rozwoju Miast) refused to institute the administrative proceedings, since the applicant had failed to produce the relevant documents in support of her claim. The applicant made an application for reconsideration of the matter.

On 30 July 2002 the President of the Office for Housing and Town Development quashed his decision of 9 May 2002.

On 30 May 2003 the President of the Office for Housing and Town Development decided to stay the proceedings, following the death of one of the parties to the proceedings.

By a decision of 9 February 2004 the Minister of Infrastructure (Minister Infrastruktury) resumed the proceedings and asked the Jarocin District Court (Sąd Rejonowy) and Ostrów District Court to provide the relevant documents concerning the property at issue.

By a letter of 26 April 2004 the applicant was informed by the Cabinet Office that the Minister of Infrastructure had been asked to accelerate the proceedings and to inform the authorities about the reasons for his delay.

On 12 May 2004 the applicant was informed that the Minister of Infrastructure had asked several administrative authorities to provide the documents from the archives concerning the status of the property at issue.

On 29 July 2005 the Ministry of Infrastructure apologised for the delay and stated that it would not be possible to conclude the proceedings within the time-limit specified in Article 35 of the Code of Administrative Procedure due to the need to undertake further examination of the application. Moreover, the Ministry indicated that, immediately after the determination of all the parties to the proceedings, the hearing would take place.

On 16 April 2006 the applicant lodged a complaint about the inactivity of the Minister of Infrastructure with the Prime Minister.

On 19 April 2006 the applicant requested the Ministry of Transport and Construction (Ministerstwo Transportu i Budownictwa) to accelerate the proceedings and to schedule an administrative hearing in the case.

On 26 April 2006 the Ministry of Transport and Construction apologised for the delay and informed the applicant that it would not be possible to conclude the proceedings within the time-limit specified in Article 35 of the Code of Administrative Procedure due to its heavy workload and the complex nature of the case. The Ministry informed the applicant that the decision would be issued by 30 November 2006.

On 7 August 2006 the applicant lodged a complaint about the inactivity of the Minister of Transport and Construction with the Prime Minister.

On 30 October and 1 December 2006 the Minister of Construction (Minister Budownictwa) informed the Cabinet Office about the reasons for the delay in the proceedings. He stressed that the case was particularly complex and he referred to the need to continue the process of gathering evidence.

On 18 December 2006 the Ministry of Construction informed the applicant that it would not be possible to conclude the proceedings within the time-limit specified in Article 35 of the Code of Administrative Procedure due to the need to establish the current address of one of the parties to the proceedings. The applicant was further informed that the decision would be issued by 31 March 2007.

By a decision of 28 April 2008 the Minister of Infrastructure refused to declare the expropriation decision null and void.

On 23 May 2008 the applicant lodged an application for reconsideration of the matter.

On 22 July 2008 the applicant was informed by the Minister of Infrastructure that it would not be possible to conclude the proceedings within the time-limit specified in Article 35 of the Code of Administrative Procedure and that the decision would be issued by 31 December 2008.

The proceedings are still pending.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-93951_a2_e1
001-93951_a2_em1
CODE
QUASI
28604/03
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correct
001-93951_a2_e2
001-93951_a2_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
001-93951_a2_em8
Republic of Poland
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001-93951_a2_e3
001-93951_a2_em3
DEM
QUASI
Polish
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001-93951_a2_e4
001-93951_a2_em4
PERSON
QUASI
Ms Anna Lorenc
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DATETIME
QUASI
21 August 2003
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001-93951_a2_em6
PERSON
QUASI
Mr M. Wątrobiński
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correct
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001-93951_a2_em7
LOC
QUASI
Wloszczowa
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001-93951_a2_em8
ORG
QUASI
Polish Government
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001-93951_a2_em9
PERSON
QUASI
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
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001-93951_a2_em10
DATETIME
QUASI
1 September 2008
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DATETIME
QUASI
1946
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001-93951_a2_e11
001-93951_a2_em12
LOC
QUASI
Jarocin
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correct
001-93951_a2_e12
001-93951_a2_em13
PERSON
QUASI
W.W.
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001-93951_a2_e13
001-93951_a2_em14
ORG
QUASI
Jarocin Furniture Factory
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001-93951_a2_e14
001-93951_a2_em15
CODE
QUASI
87/1
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001-93951_a2_e15
001-93951_a2_em16
CODE
QUASI
87/2
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001-93951_a2_e16
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QUANTITY
QUASI
4,955 square metres
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DATETIME
QUASI
11 January 1955
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001-93951_a2_em19
ORG
QUASI
Board of the Poznań National Council
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001-93951_a2_e18
001-93951_a2_em20
ORG
QUASI
001-93951_a2_em19
Prezydium Rady Narodowej
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001-93951_a2_e19
001-93951_a2_em21
DATETIME
QUASI
12 April 2001
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001-93951_a2_em22
ORG
QUASI
Mayor of the Jarocin District (Starosta)
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DATETIME
QUASI
22 June 2001
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001-93951_a2_e22
001-93951_a2_em24
ORG
QUASI
Mayor of the Jarocin District
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001-93951_a2_em25
ORG
QUASI
District Council
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001-93951_a2_em26
ORG
QUASI
001-93951_a2_em25
Rada Powiatu
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001-93951_a2_e24
001-93951_a2_em27
ORG
QUASI
Wielkopolski Governor (Wojewoda)
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001-93951_a2_e25
001-93951_a2_em28
DATETIME
QUASI
5 July 2001
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001-93951_a2_e22
001-93951_a2_em29
ORG
QUASI
Mayor of the Jarocin District
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001-93951_a2_e26
001-93951_a2_em30
DATETIME
QUASI
6 September 2001
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001-93951_a2_e24
001-93951_a2_em31
ORG
QUASI
001-93951_a2_em27
Wielkopolski Governor
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check
001-93951_a2_e22
001-93951_a2_em32
ORG
QUASI
Mayor of the Jarocin District
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001-93951_a2_e25
001-93951_a2_em33
DATETIME
QUASI
5 July 2001
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001-93951_a2_e27
001-93951_a2_em34
DATETIME
QUASI
10 September 2001
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001-93951_a2_e24
001-93951_a2_em35
ORG
QUASI
Wielkopolski Governor
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001-93951_a2_e22
001-93951_a2_em36
ORG
QUASI
Mayor of the Jarocin District
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001-93951_a2_e28
001-93951_a2_em37
DATETIME
QUASI
22 October 2001
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001-93951_a2_em38
ORG
QUASI
Mayor of the Jarocin District
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001-93951_a2_e29
001-93951_a2_em39
DATETIME
QUASI
18 March 2002
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DATETIME
QUASI
10 October 2002
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001-93951_a2_e22
001-93951_a2_em41
ORG
QUASI
Mayor of the Jarocin District
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001-93951_a2_e23
001-93951_a2_em42
ORG
QUASI
District Council
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ORG
QUASI
001-93951_a2_em42
Rada Powiatu
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001-93951_a2_em44
DATETIME
QUASI
27 December 2002
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ORG
QUASI
Wielkopolski Governor
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001-93951_a2_em46
DATETIME
QUASI
3 June 2003
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001-93951_a2_em47
ORG
QUASI
Wielkopolski Governor
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001-93951_a2_e22
001-93951_a2_em48
ORG
QUASI
Mayor of the Jarocin District
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001-93951_a2_e33
001-93951_a2_em49
DATETIME
QUASI
6 August 2001
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001-93951_a2_em50
ORG
QUASI
Office for Housing and Town Development
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001-93951_a2_e34
001-93951_a2_em51
ORG
QUASI
001-93951_a2_em50
Urząd Mieszkalnictwa i Rozwoju Miast
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001-93951_a2_e17
001-93951_a2_em52
DATETIME
QUASI
11 January 1955
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QUASI
9 May 2002
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001-93951_a2_em54
ORG
NO_MASK
Office for Housing and Town Development
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001-93951_a2_e34
001-93951_a2_em55
ORG
QUASI
001-93951_a2_em54
Prezes Urzędu Mieszkalnictwa i Rozwoju Miast
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001-93951_a2_em56
DATETIME
QUASI
30 July 2002
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001-93951_a2_em57
ORG
NO_MASK
Office for Housing and Town Development
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001-93951_a2_e35
001-93951_a2_em58
DATETIME
QUASI
9 May 2002
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QUASI
30 May 2003
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001-93951_a2_em60
ORG
NO_MASK
Office for Housing and Town Development
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001-93951_a2_em61
DATETIME
QUASI
9 February 2004
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001-93951_a2_e39
001-93951_a2_em62
ORG
NO_MASK
Minister of Infrastructure (Minister Infrastruktury)
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ORG
QUASI
Jarocin District Court
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001-93951_a2_em64
ORG
QUASI
001-93951_a2_em63
Sąd Rejonowy
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QUASI
Ostrów District Court
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QUASI
26 April 2004
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NO_MASK
Cabinet Office
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ORG
NO_MASK
001-93951_a2_em62
Minister of Infrastructure
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QUASI
12 May 2004
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NO_MASK
Minister of Infrastructure
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29 July 2005
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NO_MASK
Ministry of Infrastructure
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16 April 2006
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NO_MASK
Minister of Infrastructure
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19 April 2006
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NO_MASK
Ministry of Transport and Construction
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001-93951_a2_em77
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QUASI
001-93951_a2_em76
Ministerstwo Transportu i Budownictwa
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001-93951_a2_em78
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QUASI
26 April 2006
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NO_MASK
Ministry of Transport and Construction
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30 November 2006
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7 August 2006
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001-93951_a2_em82
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NO_MASK
Minister of Transport and Construction
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30 October
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1 December 2006
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ORG
NO_MASK
Minister of Construction (Minister Budownictwa)
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NO_MASK
Cabinet Office
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DATETIME
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18 December 2006
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NO_MASK
Ministry of Construction
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31 March 2007
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QUASI
28 April 2008
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NO_MASK
Minister of Infrastructure
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QUASI
23 May 2008
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QUASI
22 July 2008
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ORG
NO_MASK
Minister of Infrastructure
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31 December 2008
Anna Lorenc
POL
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Anna Lorenc