A municipality near Warsaw issues parking tickets for a facility deemed illegal despite receiving 4 million złoty in EU funding.
The Parking Paradox
The story of a parking that isn’t a parking, as reported by “Gazeta Stołeczna,” presents an obvious case: a large, paved area near a railway station with designated access roads and parking spaces, plus a bicycle shelter and small sanitary facility. It’s precisely these last two elements that caused the controversy.
Legal Battle Continues
The “not-a-parking” was constructed in 2003 with Gmina Jabłonna even receiving a 4 million złoty EU subsidy for its construction. Problems arose at the final stage when the District Building Supervision Inspectorate inspected the nearly completed investment and deemed the pavilion and bicycle shelter as illegal construction. The municipality had permission for a road object but not for a transfer center, hence it didn’t receive a permit for using the facility.
Mayor Defends Investment
The mayor of Jabłonna, in conversation with “Stołeczna,” claims the elements that displeased the inspectorate were built based on separate permits and were supposed to be approved for use. The municipality appealed the inspectorate’s decision to the provincial inspector, who upheld it. The case went to the Voivodeship Administrative Court, which also rejected the municipality’s appeal. The municipality then appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court but also failed there, though the mayor Jarosław Chodorski claims the oral justification indicated the investment wasn’t illegal. He is now awaiting written justification but it’s already known that the inspectorate will have to revisit the case.
“I count that common sense will eventually prevail. It’s high time this important investment started serving the people,” the mayor told “Stołeczna,” adding there will be no demolition of the parking. “We won’t allow any element of our investment to be dismantled. If the inspectorate’s actions force us to return the EU subsidy, we will demand compensation.”
