Bezstronność światopoglądowa a obecność symboli religijnych w instytucjach publicznych

Abstract

The Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 1997 formulated the principle of religious, ideological and philosophical impartiality of public authorities, which, apart from the principle of equal rights for churches and other religious associations, determines the Polish model of state-church relations. Impartiality in matters of religious, ideological and philosophical beliefs concerns public authorities, not the state as the political structure of the nation. Public authorities in the Republic of Poland, both individual and collective, are created by persons with specific religious, ideological and philosophical beliefs. Therefore, taking into account the respect for the freedom of conscience and religion of persons performing the functions of authorities, as well as the principle of impartiality of public authorities, the formula of open neutrality should be preserved in a democratic state of law, according to which public authorities are obliged to equal treatment of all people, regardless of their beliefs, on the other hand, they refrain from accepting the principles of one religion, worldview or philosophy, also those of an atheistic or agnostic nature. It should be emphasized that, contrary to the demands of various groups to remove the cross from public space, its presence is not a contradiction or a violation of the constitutional principle of impartiality of public authorities in matters of religious beliefs.