Statement of Miroslaw Szypowski, President of the Organization of Property Owners in Poland (Ogolnopolskie Porozumienie Organizacji Rewindykacyjnych)

In the name of the Ogolnopolskie Porozumienie Organizacji Rewindykacyjnych/National Polish Understanding of Recovery Organizations representing more than 250,000 members, I would like to assure the Committee that we fully sympathize and support your demand in the matter of an urgent arrangement by the Polish Government and Parliament of a law permitting the return of property plundered on the basis of confiscation decrees and laws of the Communist Government to the lawful owners and heirs.

The confiscation of assets, frequently comprising possessions accumulated over several generations, by the Communist regime affected all Polish citizens including a large number of Jews particularly harmed by Holocaust criminals.

The fact that 15 years have passed since the government’s transformation took place in

Poland and the Polish state has done nothing to achieve even partially a redress of harms that other former states of the Communist block have already done, places successive governments and parliaments in Poland in not the best position.

Our organization is doing everything in its power. We are very much hoping for joint efforts with your organization to finally bring about a victory to justice helped by numerous respected international organizations with which your organization maintains close contacts.