Strasbourg Tribunal groundbreaking ruling on illegal expropriation of property

The European Human Rights Tribunal in Strasbourg awarded a Polish citizen, Krzysztof Zwierzynski, euro 120,000 compensation for having the building that belonged to his family illegally nationalized by the state in 1952. This is the highest level of compensation ever awarded to a Pole by the court. Zwierzynski has been fighting for his property for nine years and then appealed to the Strasbourg Tribunal. That was the first such case that touched upon the infringing of property laws in Poland. The Tribunal has ordered the present owner to move out and that the Polish state returns the property to Zwierzynski, as well as pay the compensation. If this is not settled within three months the state will have to pay an additional euro 60,500. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A4; Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 9) A.D.