In December 2023, Lublin governor Krzysztof Komorski removed a cross from the column hall of the provincial office, prompting a protest that led to a lawsuit alleging misuse of power and insult to religious sentiment.
Governor Removes Cross from Lublin Office
At the end of December 2023, Governor Krzysztof Komorski decided to remove the cross hanging in the column hall of the Lublin Provincial Office. He said he wanted a single cross in the building’s more than fifty rooms, one that would display only national and EU flags.
Later, he explained in social media that the cross in the column hall was situated “in a dignified place in room no. 52.”
Protest Leads to Legal Action
Two members of the Lower Silesian Sejmik, including PiS councillor Tytus Czartoryski, filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office alleging that Komorski had overstepped his authority and insulted religious feelings.
The prosecutor dismissed the case, after which the complainants opted to file a subsidiary complaint with the court.
Court Proceedings and Allegations
The lawsuit accuses the governor of exceeding his powers and of offending religious sentiments. According to the report, the trial was announced and proceedings have begun.
Legal Context on Religious Symbols
A statement from the Office of the Ombudsman for Civil Rights (RPO) notes that the presence of religious symbols, including crosses, in public buildings is generally permissible under Polish and European Court of Human Rights decisions. However, officials retain discretion over their placement.
The RPO clarified that the presence or absence of a religious symbol does not constitute a violation of the freedom of conscience or belief of non‑believers or those belonging to other denominations.
RPO Clarifies Rights of Believers
The Ombudsman emphasized that decisions regarding religious symbols fall within the competence of public authorities and that lack of a symbol does not breach the rights of believers.
Source: Gazeta,
