Landmark Case Adjourned
The European Court of Human Rights has adjourned the case of Broniowski v. Poland pending the outcome of friendly settlement negotiations on the question of just satisfaction.
Broniowski v. Poland concerns Poland’s failure to implement compensatory measures in respect of persons repatriated from the “territories beyond the Bug River” in the aftermath of the Second World War who had had to abandon their property. According to the Polish Government, the anticipated total number of people entitled to such measures is nearly 80,000.
The Court delivered its (Grand Chamber) judgment on the merits in the case on 22 June 2004.
At the request of the Polish Government, the Registry of the Court has agreed to help the parties reach a friendly settlement concerning just satisfaction (Article 41 of the Convention).
In view of the importance of the matters involved and the consequences which a possible settlement might have for numerous other applicants with similar cases, the President of the Court, Luzius Wildhaber, has adjourned the case pending the outcome of the friendly settlement negotiations.
Mr Wildhaber has also granted the All-Polish Association of Borderland Creditors of the State Treasury association, which was set up several years ago to defend and promote the rights of Bug River claimants, leave to intervene as a third party in the proceedings.