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Polish senate pushes to ban communist street names

PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge 04.10.2013 11:35
The Senate has revised draft legislation that would ban all remaining street names in Poland that appear to honour the fallen communist regime.
The Polish Senate. Photo: Senate.gov.plThe Polish Senate. Photo: Senate.gov.pl

The
The Polish Senate: senate.gov.pl

Although in most cases, communist symbols were removed shortly after the collapse of the communist regime in 1989, it has been estimated that as many as 1400 examples remain.

The Senate’s draft legislation stipulates that street names “cannot commemorate people, organizations, events or dates that symbolize communism or any other totalitarian regime."

The government has estimated that the changes could cost several million zloty, and so far, local authorities have proved the most vocal against the prospective changes.

In Poland’s lower house of parliament, the Democratic Left Alliance has confirmed that it will vote against the measures, as has the liberal Palikot’s Movement.

However, chief opposition party Law and Justice is in favour of the legislation, meaning that the votes of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s Civic Platform party will be decisive.

Civic Platform senator Jan Rulewski has told the Rzeczpospolita daily that the legislation is may create divisions within the party. (nh)

tags: communism, senate
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