Poland – geopolitical information

Situated in central Europe has experienced hard and violent times. Until 1989 Poland belonged to the so-called Eastern Block as part of the “Warsaw Pact”, together with the Soviet Union, German Democratic Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. In 1980 after strikes at the Gdańsk shipyard an agreement with authorities was reached and Solidarity trade Union was established.However it was not unitl1989 when the first post-communist parliament was chosen in democratic elections. Since then Poland started becoming a truly sovereign state. In 1999 Poland became part of the North-Atlantic Treaty (NATO). In May 2004, as the largest country in Central Europe, both in terms of its area and population, Poland joined the European Union.

The executive power in Poland is held by the president and the government, the legislative power – by parliament. The country has a well-developed judicial system based on common plea courts which investigate criminal, civil and economic cases as well as administrative courts, established in order to control administrative decisions. Judicial proceedings are two instance in all cases. The judicial power lies with the Supreme Court.

Since 1999 the administrative division in Poland includes 16 provinces, divided into administrative districts which, in turn, consist of communes. A part of the jurisdiction power was transferred to districts and communes (including the imposition of particular kinds of taxes).