PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 4054/03) against the Republic of Poland lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by a Polish national, Mr Jan Boszko on 17 January 2003. He was represented before the Court by Ms A. Zemke, a lawyer practising in Białystok.

The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr J. Wołąsiewicz of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On 11 March 2005 the Court decided to give notice of the application to the Government. Applying Article 29 § 3 of the Convention, it decided to rule on the admissibility and merits of the application at the same time.

THE FACTS

THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicant was born in 1954 and lives in Hajnówka.

On 15 February 1999 the applicant requested that administrative proceedings be instituted for the purpose of fixing compensation for a partial expropriation of his real property in 1995, involving two small plots designated for the construction of a road.

On 15 March 1999 the Head of the Hajnówka District instituted such proceedings. On 28 July 1999 the Head of the Hajnówka District fixed an amount of compensation to be paid by the Hajnówka Municipality for these plots. The applicant contested the amount of compensation. On 24 September 1999 the Self-Government Board of Appeal quashed the decision and discontinued the proceedings. It was of the view that no purpose was served by continuing the proceedings. The applicant appealed.

On 5 June 2000 the Supreme Administrative Court quashed the contested decision, finding that the conclusion of the Board had no proper legal or factual basis.

On 29 September 2000 the Podlesie Governor quashed the first-instance decision of 28 July 1999 and refused to pay compensation. The applicant appealed.

On 14 February 2001 the Supreme Administrative Court quashed the Governor’s decision. It considered that it was unlawful in that it had infringed the prohibition of reformationis in peius as it applied to administrative proceedings.

On 23 May 2001 the Podlesie Governor again quashed the decision of 28 July 1999 and remitted the case for re-examination. On 15 October 2001 the Head of the Hajnówka District refused to determine the amount of compensation. The applicant appealed.

On 27 November 2001 the Podlesie Governor quashed the decision given on 15 October 2001 and remitted the case for re-examination.

On 31 December 2001 the Head of the Hajnówka District again refused to determine the amount of compensation. The applicant contested this decision. On 14 February 2002 the Podlesie Governor upheld it. The applicant appealed against the Governor’s decision.

On 14 November 2002 the Supreme Administrative Court quashed the Governor’s decision of 14 February 2002 and remitted the case for re-examination. The court considered that the authorities had entirely disregarded its opinion on issues relevant to the case as well as instructions on how to proceed with the case, as containedin its earlier judgments.

By a decision of 26 May 2003 the Head of the Hajnówka District fixed at PLN 29,763 the amount of compensation to be paid to the applicant.