The Ombudsman intervenes in the capital's Office of Administration and Citizen Affairs after a complaint from a foreigner who had a problem with registering a car. The capital's city hall has already introduced changes.
The Commissioner for Human Rights received a complaint from a foreigner who wanted to register a car about the practice of trading in “license plates” under the Office of Administration and Citizen Affairs of the Capital City of Warsaw.
The applicant, an Italian citizen, bases his arguments on the infringement of his right to property, non-discrimination and the right to good administration (Articles 17, 21 and 41 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, respectively).
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He spent the night in front of the office
The Italian has been living in Poland since 2008 and has a permanent residence permit. In June, he tried to register a car. And because he is a foreigner, he could only do so at the city's Office of Administration and Citizenship Affairs at ul. Leona Kruczkowskiego 2. Unfortunately, he was unable to make an appointment.
In a complaint submitted to the Commissioner for Human Rights, he described that some people sell “numbers” in front of the office, which entitle them to a visit. They have a list, on which they enter interested parties for a fee, for whom they collect “numbers” for a visit the next morning. The foreigner, who opposed this, tried to collect the “number” himself. He even spent the night in front of the Office building, but he was unsuccessful.
Because he wanted to meet the deadline for registering the car, he was forced to give co-ownership of the car to another person with Polish citizenship, who registered the vehicle at the delegation in his place of residence.
“This is consistent with media reports that have been appearing in the press and on the Internet in recent years. The media describe not only gigantic queues at the Office, but also the practice of trading in 'numbers' and even fights between clients,” the Ombudsman noted.
He asked the director of the Office of Administration and Citizen Affairs at the Warsaw City Hall to investigate the problem, respond to the applicant’s allegations and consider the need to introduce changes in the organization of the Office to prevent the described problems.
City Hall is making changes
The capital city hall reacted and From Monday, August 26, foreigners will be able to register their vehicles in all eighteen districts, according to their registered address. “There is still an obligation to submit a document confirming legal stay in Poland,” he noted.
In individual Delegations of the Office of Administration and Civil Affairs, foreigners will be able to register a vehicle: new or used, purchased in Poland or abroad, vintage, “SAM” brand, imported from abroad, which has been previously deregistered.
However, if the vehicle has already been registered at the Office of Administration and Civil Affairs at ul. Kruczkowskiego 2, any changes, such as: entering/deletion of the annotations “HAK”, “L”, “GAZ”, “TAXI” in the registration certificate; entering/deletion of a registered pledge; adding a co-owner of the vehicle; obtaining a duplicate of the registration certificate, registration plate or legalisation marks; deregistering the vehicle; reporting a change of data in the registration certificate due to, for example, a change of registered address; reporting its sale or change of its type, must be made at the same address.
Main image source: Mateusz Szmelter / tvnwarszawa.pl