Legge 17 maggio 1989

Law of 17 May 1989: Regarding the Guarantees of Freedom of Conscience and Belief

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND

The Sejm of the Republic of Poland:
— carrying out the Polish Constitution’s provisions regarding freedom of conscience and belief,
— referring to a tradition of tolerance and religious freedom, worthy of lasting respect and continuation, as well as to the confirming cooperation of Poles of different beliefs and worldviews in the development and prosperity of their homeland,
— acknowledging the historic contribution of churches and other religious associations to the development of national culture as well as the propagation and strengthening of fundamental moral values,
— directed by the principles contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Final Act of the Conference of Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief,
— strengthening the conditions for active and equal participation of citizens in public and social life regardless of their approach to religion,

proclaims what follows:

SECTION I. FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE AND BELIEF

Article 1

(1) The Polish people’s Republic ensures freedom of conscience and belief to every citizen.
(2) Freedom of conscience and belief comprises the freedom of choosing a religion or conviction and expressing them individually and collectively, in private and in public.
(3) Citizens, believers of all denominations and nonbelievers have equal rights in the state, political, economic, social, and cultural life.

Article 2

Exercising freedom of conscience and belief, citizens can, in particular:
(1) create religious organizations, named hereafter “churches and other religious associations,” that are established with an aim to practice and promulgate religious faith, which may possess their own dress code, doctrine, and cultural ordinances,
(2) in accordance with the principles of their religion, participate in religious functions and services, fulfill religious duties, and observe religious holidays,
(2a) belong or not belong to churches and other religious associations,
(3) profess their religion or convictions,
(4) raise children according to their convictions in religious matters,
(5) keep silent in matters of their religion or convictions,
(6) maintain contacts with coreligionists and therein participate in the activities of religious organizations that operate internationally,
(7) make use of informational sources on the subject of religion,
(8) produce and procure objects necessary for cult purposes and religious practices as well as make use of them,
(9) produce, procure, and possess articles necessary for observing religious rules,
(10) choose to belong to a clerical or monastic order,
(11) unite in lay organizations in order to realize objectives resulting from a professed religion or conviction in religious matters.

Article 3

(1) The individual or collective manifestation of one’s religion or convictions can be subjected only to legal limitations that are necessary to protect public safety, order, health or public morality, or the fundamental rights and freedoms of other individuals.
(2) Exercising freedom of conscience and belief cannot lead one to avoid performing public duties that are imposed by law.
(3) On account of religious convictions or professed moral principles, citizens can apply to be sent to substitutive service, according to the rules and procedure defined in the law on the common obligation to defend the Republic of Poland. Exercising this right requires a declaration on religious convictions or professed moral principles to be submitted.

Article 4

(1) The right defined in Article 2, Item 2, and the right to possess and make use of objects necessary to practice a cult or religious observance can also be vested in persons:

(1) performing military service or basic service in civil defense,
(2) staying in health service and social care institutions as well as children and youth staying in summer camps organized in Poland by the state institutions,
(3) staying in penal institutions, reformatories, educational institutions and prisons for detention in custody pending inquiry, social adaptation centers, and shelters for juveniles.

(2) The way of executing rights defined in Item 1 is regulated by separate laws and provisions issued on their basis.

Article 5

Citizens have the right to freely subsidize churches and other religious associations as well as charitable and tutelary institutions.

Article 6

(1) No one can be discriminated against or privileged because of religion or convictions in the matters of religion.

(2) Citizens must not be forced to abstain from religious functions and services, neither to participate in them.

Article 7

(1) Foreigners staying on the territory of the Republic of Poland enjoy freedom of conscience and belief on an equal standing with Polish.

(2) Provision of Item 1 shall be applied accordingly to stateless persons.

SECTION II. THE RELATION OF THE STATE TO CHURCHES AND OTHER RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS

CHAPTER I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 8

Churches and other religious associations in Poland carry on their activities within the framework of the Republic of Poland’s constitutional system; their legal situation as well the status of their property are regulated by legal provisions.

Article 9

(1) In the Republic of Poland, the relation of the state to all churches and other religious associations is based on respecting freedom of conscience and belief.

(2) Freedom of conscience and belief in relations between the state and churches and other religious associations is guaranteed by:
(1) separation of churches and other religious associations from the state,
(2) freedom to perform religious functions by churches and other religious associations,
(3) equal rights for all churches and other religious associations irrespective of the form of regulation of their legal situation.

Article 10

(1) The Polish People’s Republic is a secular state, neutral in the matters of religion and convictions.

(2) The state and state organizational units do not endow and do not subsidize churches and other religious associations. Exceptions to this principle are regulated by the laws of provisions issued on their basis.

Article 11

(1) Churches and other religious associations are independent of the state in performing their religious functions.

(2) Churches and other religious associations and their activity are subject to legal protection within the limits defined by the laws.

(3) Churches and other religious associations can move motions to the Constitutional Tribunal according to the rules and procedure defined in the provisions on the Constitutional Tribunal.

Article 12

(1) Clergymen and monastic persons of churches and other religious associations, established according to the provisions of their internal laws, enjoy rights and are subject to obligations on the equal level with other citizens in all spheres of the state, political, economic, social and cultural life. They are, within the framework of the binding provisions of the laws, exempt from the obligations impossible to comply with performing the function of a clergyman or a monastic person.

(2) Persons mentioned in Item 1 have the right to wear a canonical dress.

(3) Matters concerning social insurance of the clergy are regulated by a separate law.

Article 13

(1) The property and revenues of churches and other religious associations are subject to generally binding tax regulation with exceptions defined by separate laws.

(2) Legal persons of churches and other religious associations are exempt from tax on revenues from their non-profit activity. In this sphere these persons do not have an obligation to keep documentation required by tax regulations.

(3) [Struck from the law by virtue of Article 5 of the Law of July 28, 1990, which came into effect October 1, 1990.]

(4) [Struck from the law by virtue of Article 5 of the Law of July 28, 1990, which came into effect October 1, 1990.]

(5) Revenues from economic activity of legal persons of churches and other religious associations as well as companies whose copartners are exclusively these persons are exempt from taxes in a part in which they were allocated in a tax year or in a year which follows it for cult, educational, scientific, cultural purposes, charitable and tutelary activity, catechetical centers, conservation of monuments, sacral and church investments which concern catechetical centers, charitable, and tutelary institutions as well as their renovation.

(6) Legal persons of churches and other religious associations are exempt from taxes and subsidies for the benefit of the commune and city funds, from real estate properties or their parts being owned by these persons or used by them on the basis of another legal title for uninhabitable purposes, with the exception of a part occupied for pursuing economic activity.

(7) Gifts sent from abroad to legal persons, churches, and other religious associations are free from customs duty if they are:
(1) predetermined for cult, charitable, tutelary, and educational purposes, with the exception of articles subject to intermediary taxes as well as automobiles,
(2) machines, equipment, and printing materials as well as paper.

Article 14

(1) If a separate law or a ratified international agreement does not provide otherwise, the authorities of a church or another religious association notify a relevant organ of state administration about creation, change of name, seat, borders or merger, division and annulment of dioceses (districts and comparable organizational units) as well as parishes (congregations, communities, and comparable organizational units).

(2) If a separate law or a ratified international agreement does not provide otherwise, the authorities of a church or another religious association must notify, within a thirty-day deadline, the relevant organ of state administration regarding headquarter changes as well as appointment and removal of persons being the executive organ in a church or another religious association, giving their first and last names, nationality, and place of dwelling.

(3) Provision of Item 2 shall be applied accordingly to organizational units, mentioned in Item 1.

(4) If a separate law or a ratified international agreement does not provide otherwise, before appointing a foreigner to the posts, mentioned in Items 2 and 3, the authorities of a church or another religious association should ascertain whether the Minister of the Office for Denominational Affairs does not express any reservations to this. If no reservation has been expressed sixty days following the date of notification, such lack of expression can be regarded as expression of consent.

Article 15

In the matters mentioned in Article 14, the relevant organ of state administration is:
(1) with regard to organizational units of exclusively Polish range and those embracing a territory crossing the borders of one province, as well as to the posts in these units—the Minister of the Office for Denominational Affairs,
(2) in remaining instances—the local organ of state administration on the province level.

Article 16

(1) The state cooperates with churches and other religious associations in maintaining peace, creating conditions of the country development, as well fighting against social ills.

(2) For purposes mentioned in Item 1, and to review problems connected with the development of relations between the state and separate churches and other religious associations there can be, on the basis of mutual agreement, created different, therein permanent forms of cooperation. This provision does not infringe on competence of state organs as well as organs of churches and other religious associations.

Article 16a

(1) For the delineation of particular principles of relation, spoken of in Article 16, agreements can be worked out between the proper, central organizations of governmental administration and the leaders of individual churches and religious associations.

(2) The provisions of such an agreement cannot violate provisions contained in generally obligatory law and more particularly must not violate the principle of legal equality among all churches and religious associations.

(3) Any such signed agreement will be published in the journal register of the proper ministry.

Article 17

The state cooperates with churches and other religious associations in protecting, conserving, and propagating monuments of architecture, art, and religious literature which constitute an integral part of cultural heritage as well as making them accessible to general public.

Article 18

(1) Provisions of Chapter 2 and Section III regulate only the relation of the state to those churches and other religious associations whose legal and property situation is not regulated by separate laws.

(2) Provisions of Chapter 2 defining the rights of churches and other religious associations can, however, be applied to churches and other religious associations whose situation is regulated by the laws when separate laws defined in Item 1 do not stipulate such rights.

CHAPTER 2. THE ACTIVITY OF CHURCHES AND OTHER RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS

Article 19

(1) Churches and other religious associations enjoy, on a legally equal basis, freedom of performing religious functions.

(2) Performing religious functions, churches and other religious associations can, in particular:
(1) define religious doctrine, dogmas and principles of faith as well as liturgy,
(2) organize and worship in public,
(3) render religious services, therein to persons mentioned in Article 4, as well
as organize religious ceremonies and assemblies,
(4) run their own matters according to their law, exercise freely religious authority as well administer their own matters,
(5) appoint, educate, and employ clergymen,
(6) carry into effect sacral investments and other church investments,
(7) purchase, own and dispose of personal and real property as well as administer it,
(8) take up collections and receive donations, legacies and other benefits from legal and natural persons,
(9) produce and purchase objects and articles necessary for cult purposes and religious practices as well as make use of them,
(10) teach religion and profess it, therein with the help of the press, books and other printed materials as well as films and audio-visual aids,
(11) make use of mass media,
(12) carry on educational activity,
(13) create and manage convents and diaconates,
(14) create organizations which would carry on activities for the benefit of religious orientation, public cult and fighting against social pathology and its consequences,
(15) carry on charitable and tutelary activity,
(16) [Struck from the law by virtue of Article 1, Item 9]
(17) call into being home inter-confessional organizations,
(18) belong to international organizations of denominational and inter-confessional character and maintain contacts abroad in matters connected with fulfilling their functions.

(3) Psychological research and experiments are not considered to be fulfillment of the religious functions mentioned in Item 1 of this Article.

Article 19a

(1) Churches and other religious associations have the right to own, administrate, establish, and extend cemeteries for the purpose of burial.
(2) The provision of Item 1 does not violate laws regarding cemeteries and the burial of deceased persons.

Article 20

(1) Churches and other religious associations can teach religion and bring up children and young people according to religious standards in conformity with the choice made by their parents and legal guardians.

(2) Religious instruction of children and youth is an internal matter of churches and other religious associations. It is organized in conformity with the program determined by the authorities of a church or another religious association in catechetical centers which operate in churches, houses of prayer and other quarters rendered accessible to this purpose by a person authorized to administer them.

(3) Teaching religion to the students of public schools and the pupils of public preschools may take place in both schools and preschools according to principles delineated in a separate law.

Article 21

(1) Churches and other religious associations have the right to establish and manage schools and preschools as well as other educational and tutelary institutions in accordance with the rules defined in the laws.

(2) Schools, preschools, as well as the other institutions mentioned in Item 1 will be subsidized either nationally or by local authorities according to instances and principles defined in separate laws.

Article 21a

(1) Operations that serve humanitarian, charitable, tutelary, and educational aims that are undertaken by legally empowered emissaries of churches and other religious associations will be considered legally equivalent to analogous operations undertaken by governmental institutions.

Article 22

(1) Churches and other religious associations have the right to establish and manage, in accordance with the independently determined programs, clerical schools and seminaries.

(2) In the sphere of implementing the secondary-school programs and obtaining the secondary school certificates, clerical schools, mentioned in Item 1, are subject to the supervision of the Minister of National Education.

(3) The establishment and managing of institutions of higher learning by churches and other religious associations, the principles of imparting governmental financial aid to such institutions, as well as the procedure and scope of recognizing the degrees and scientific titles conferred in these schools by the state are regulated, in accordance with the church authorities proposal, by separate laws.

(4) Churches and other religious associations have the right to establish scientific and didactic institutes.

(5) Separate agreements between the Ministry of Higher Education and leaders of churches or other religious associations regulate the legal status of departments of theology at public institutions of higher learning.

Article 23

The scope of applying to teachers and tutors and to young people frequenting schools, mentioned in Article 21 and Article 22, Item 3, social services and rights as well as imposing obligations provided for educators and pupils in state schools is defined by the Minister of National Education and the Minister of Higher Education in consultation with the authorities of churches and other religious associations unless a provision of the law provides otherwise.

Article 24

(1) In order to carry into effect charitable and tutelary activity, churches and other religious associations have the right to establish and manage, in accordance with the rules defined in the laws, appropriate institutions, therein centers for people who need care, hospitals and other medical centers, kindergartens and shelters for children.

(2) Means for carrying into effect charitable and tutelary activity come, in particular, from:
(1) money contributions and payments in kind,
(2) inheritances, legacies and donations coming from the country and abroad,
(3) revenues from spectacles and public collections,
(4) subventions, grants and contributions coming from the domestic institutions and state, social, denominational and private enterprises,
(5) payments for the services rendered by charitable and tutelary institutions of churches and other religious associations,
(6) revenues of the institutions belonging to churches and other religious associations.

Article 25

(1) In order to perform their functions churches and other religious associations have the right to publish the press, books and printed materials as well as to establish and own publishing houses and printing works with observance of the binding provisions in this respect.

(2) Churches and other religious associations can organize their own distribution of the press or make use of another network of distribution. Religious associations can receive machines, equipment, printing materials.

(3) To carry into effect provisions of Item 1, churches and other religious associations may accept machinery, electrical appliances, publication materials, and paper from abroad as gifts.

(4) Churches and other religious associations have the right to broadcast religious, moral, social, and cultural programs by radio and television in a manner defined by agreements entered into by leaders of a given church or religious association and broadcasters of public radio and television.

Article 26

(1) Churches and other religious associations have the right to organize and carry on cultural and artistic activity connected with fulfilling their functions.

(2) To carry into effect the right mentioned in Item 1, churches and other religious associations can establish and manage appropriate institutions as well as distribute films.

(3) Exercising rights, mentioned in Items 1 and 2, ensues without an obligation to obtain permissions and authorizations, if this activity is carried on to realize religious and moral objectives in the sphere of culture. The authorities of a church or another religious association notify a state organ, competent to grant such permission and authorizations, about undertaking and carrying on of such activity.

(4) To carry into effect provisions of Item 1 and 2 churches and other religious associations can receive equipment and materials as gifts from abroad.

Article 27

(1) The activity of churches and other religious associations cannot infringe on provisions of generally binding laws protecting public safety, order, health, public morals, parental authority, or fundamental rights and freedoms of other persons.

(2) Enjoying freedom of activity by churches and other religious associations is exercised in accordance with generally binding provisions, unless the laws provide otherwise.

Article 28

(1) Church and other religious associations act in matters of property through their legal emissaries.

(2) Legal persons of churches and other religious associations, their organs, the scope of competence and the way of appointment and representation are defined by statutes.

Article 29

(1) In relation to the organizations created on the basis of Article 19, Item 14, if they have not the status of legal person, the law on associations shall not be applied. The provisions of the law on associations shall, however, apply to them only in the domain concerning assemblies on the roads and public squares as well as in state buildings.

(2) Organizations, mentioned in Item 1, carry on their activity within the framework of legal persons of churches and other religious associations in which they were appointed.

(3) The authorities of churches and other religious associations take care of conformability of the activity of these organizations with their religious and moral aims.

SECTION III. CREATION OF CHURCHES AND OTHER RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS

Article 30

The right to create churches and other religious associations, hereinafter called “registration,” led by the Minister of Religious Affairs, is realized by submitting to this minister, hereinafter called “the registering organ,” a declaration regarding the creation of a church or religious association and a motion to enter the register.

Article 31

(1) The right to present the motion mentioned in Article 30 is vested in at least 100 Polish citizens having full capacity to carry out legal transactions.

(2) To complete the motion mentioned in Item 1, the interested parties must submit a list containing their first and last names, birth dates, places of dwelling, numbers and types of identification, as well as notarized signatures.

Article 32

(1) The motion mentioned in Article 30 should contain:
(1) the list discussed in Article 31, Item 2,
(2) information concerning the church or other religious association’s
previous forms of religious life and methods of operation on the terrain of the Republic of Poland,
(3) information about the fundamental characteristics, sources, doctrinal principles, and religious ordinances,
(4) address of the church or other religious organization’s headquarters, as well as the first and last names, birth dates, places of dwelling, numbers and types of identification of all individuals entering into positions of leadership and authority,
(5) statute.

(2) Statute should define in particular:
(1) name of a church or another religious association different from the names of other organizations,
(2) region of activity and seat of its authorities,
(3) aims of activity and rules of their realization,
(4) leadership, its method of calling and release, range of its competence as well as its decision-making process,
(5) sources of financing,
(6) procedure of introducing changes into statutes,
(7) manner of external representation and ability to manage its estates,
(8) manner of procuring and divesting membership, as well as rights and responsibilities of members,
(9) manner of calling, releasing, and the competency of clergymen, who are mentioned in Article 12, Item 3, inasmuch as a church or other religious association foresees the creation of such positions,
(10) way of dissolving a church or another religious association and appropriation of the left property.

(3) If a church or another religious association anticipates creating organizational units, convents or diaconates having the status of legal person, the statute should define names, scope of rights, rules of creating, dissolving and transforming these units; it should also define their organs, scope of competence, way of appointing and recalling these organs.

(4) If a church or another religious association constitutes a part of an organization of international range, the scope and forms of mutual relations should be defined in the statute.

(5) If a church or other religious association foresees the creation of organizational units without legal individuality, the principles of their creation, maintaining, and transformation must be outlined in the statute.

Article 33

(1) In the course of entering an organization into the register, the registrar of the Office for Denominational Affairs may demand of the interested parties a clarification of their motion’s contents as explained Article 32. The registrar may also turn to other governmental agencies in verifying the truthfulness of all information contained in the motion.

(2) If the motion mentioned in Article 30 does not contain information required by the law, the registrar of the Office for Denominational Affairs assigns a period of thirty days to complete it, and after its expiration he makes a decision to refuse accepting the declaration.

(3) If the motion mentioned in. Article 30 contains provisions which contradict provisions of the law protecting public safety, order, health, public morals or fundamental rights and freedoms of other persons the registrar of the Office for Denominational Affairs makes a decision to refuse accepting the declaration.

(4) Decisions, mentioned in Items 2 and 3, should be given at three months time from the date of presenting the declaration. These decisions may be appealed to the High Administrative Court according to the provisions of the code of administrative procedure.

Article 34

(1) If the circumstances pointed out in Article 33 do not occur, the registrar of the Office for Denominational Affairs makes a decision about entering a name into the register at two months time from the date of presenting the declaration.

(2) As soon as a church or another religious association has entered into the register it obtains, as a whole, the status of legal person and enjoys all the rights as well as is subject to obligations defined by the laws.

(3) Provision of Item 2 shall be applied accordingly to organizational units, convents and diaconates mentioned in Article 32, Item 3.

(4) Provision of Articles. 14 and 15 shall be applied accordingly to churches and other religious associations, which entered into the register.

Article 35

(1) Changes of the statute of a church or another religious association which entered into the register are executed according to the procedure obligatory at the moment of their creation.

Article 36

(1) Cancellation from the register concerns:
(1) a church or another religious association whose legal and property situation was regulated by a separate law,
(2) a church or another religious association which notified the Office for Denominational Affairs about discontinuance of its activity,
(3) a church or another religious association that did not meet the required characteristics for entry into the register; this particularly concerns churches and other religious associations that did not meet the demands of the registrar for the Office of Denominational Affairs during a period of three years and did not actualize the entrance to the register outlined in Article 32, Item 1, Point 4.

(2) Erasure from the register ensues on the basis of the decision of the Minister of the Office for Denominational Affairs.

(3) In case of the decision to cancel from the register due to the reason mentioned in Item 1, Point 2, the Minister of the Office for Denominational Affairs appoints a liquidator applying accordingly provisions of the law on associations.

(4) Provisions of Item 3 can also be applied if notification about discontinuance of the activity of a church or another association does not define a liquidator.

(5) If the statute of a church or another religious association does not provide otherwise, the property left after the liquidation proceedings have been ended can be destined exclusively for charitable and tutelary aims.

(6) If the statute of a church or other religious association does not provide otherwise, the remaining estate after liquidation proceedings can be designated only for humanitarian-service aims, which designation is the decision of the Minister of the Office for Denominational Affairs.

(7) Decisions mentioned in Items 2–5 may be appealed to the High Administrative Court according to the provisions of the code of administrative procedure.

Article 36a

(1) A registrar of the Office for Denominational Affairs or other procurator may turn to provincial courts with claims regarding the incompatibility of a church or other religious organization’s actions with the legal provisions mentioned in Article 27, Item 1 or the statute mentioned in Article 32.

(2) In the case of a legally binding court judgment claiming that the actions of a given church or religious association harmfully violate the law or the resolutions of the statute, the registrar of the Office for Denominational Affairs may strike the church or religious association in question from the register.

Article 37

The Minister of the Office for Denominational Affairs, by way of ordinance, defines detailed rules and the way of keeping the register, data and information to be registered, conditions of the access to the register, issuance of excerpts from the register as well as the way of canceling a church or another religious association from the register.

Article 38

Provisions of the present Chapter shall apply accordingly to the local inter-confessional organizations if they have the status of legal person. To create such an organization, it is required that the declaration be signed by the authorities of at least two churches or other religious associations acting in the Republic of Poland.

SECTION IV. PROVISIONAL AND CONCLUDING REGULATIONS

Article 39

(1) Provisions of the statutes of churches and other religious associations are valid unless they contradict the provision of the present law.

(2) Until the executory provisions to the law are published the hitherto provisions are valid.

Article 40

Churches whose legal situation was regulated before August 6, 1949 by decisions of the Minister of Public Administration retain their hitherto legal status until their legal situation is regulated by the law.

Article 41

(1) Churches and other religious associations which on the day the law came into force possessed the legal status regulated according to the rules and procedure defined in § 3, 4, and 7 of the Minister of Public Administration ordinance of August 6, 1949 on the execution of the decree of August 5, 1949 on changing some provisions of the law on associations (Dz. U. no. 47, Item 358) are subject to be entered into the register ex officio.

(2) Churches and other religious associations acting on the day the law came into force as ordinary associations can obtain the status of legal persons if they satisfy requirements defined in Articles 30–32.

Article 42

(1) Persons belonging to churches and other religious associations whose religious holidays fall on days which are not free from work by law can, on their own request, obtain leave of absence from work or studying for a period of time indispensable to celebrate these holidays in accordance with the requirements of the religion they profess.

(2) Underage persons can enjoy the right defined in Item 1 on the application of their parents or legal guardians.

(3) Leave of absence from work, mentioned in Items 1 and 2, can be granted under the condition to make up for the absence time without the right to additional payment for work on days free from work by law or for overtime work.

(4) The Minister of Labor and Social Policy and the Minister of National Education in consultation with the Minister of the Office for Denominational Affairs, by way of ordinance, define the detailed rules of granting leaves of absence mentioned in Items 1 and 2.

Article 43

In the law of July 15, 1961 on development of the system of education (Dz. U. of 1971 no. 32, Item 160, no. 12 of 1972, Item 115, no. 16 of 1975, Item 114, no. 45, Item 234, no. 49 of 1984, Item 253) in Article 1 the second and the third paragraphs shall read:

it aims at ensuring the knowledge about nature and social life about history and culture of the nation and mankind for pupils and students in order to secure qualifications for professional work. Schools and other educational institutions educate in the spirit of principles of social coexistence, love of homeland, peace, freedom, social justice and brotherhood with the people of all countries, teach passion and respect for efficient work, respect for national property as well as prepare for active participation in the development of the country, its economy and culture.

Article 44

In the law of April 19, 1968 on libraries (Dz. U. of 1984 no. 12, Item 63, no. 26, Item 129) in Article 34 after Item 2, Item 2a shall be added in the following wording:

2a. Libraries and collections of library materials belonging to churches and other religious associations as well as to their legal persons are not subject to the obligations defined in Items 1 and 2. Churches and other religious associations as well as their legal persons notify the organ defined in Item 1 about undertaking to open their collection to the public.

Article 45

The law comes into force on the day of publication.

[1] Law Regarding the Guarantees of Freedom of Religion and Belief (1989), original Polish version published in Dziennik Ustaw, the Official Gazette (Poland). Translation by Robert Schwartz (based in part on earlier anonymous translation).