(ZENIT News / Warsaw, 05.21.2024).- The Mayor of Warsaw has implemented a new policy prohibiting religious symbols, such as crucifixes, in state offices. Office workers are also restricted from displaying religious symbols at their workstations, as reported by the Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza on Thursday, May 16. However, the ban does not extend to personal religious items like necklaces, tattoos, or bracelets worn by employees.
According to the newspaper, the new regulations mandate that all official events must be secular and devoid of prayers. The updated code of conduct also requires public employees to respect same-sex couples, allowing them to collect official documents on behalf of their partners despite the lack of legal recognition of their relationships under current Polish law. Additionally, Warsaw’s public servants are now obliged to honor individuals’ chosen pronouns. The guidelines state: «In the case of a transgender person whose appearance differs from the gender listed on official documents, address them by their chosen name or gender pronouns. A non-binary person should be addressed by their preferred pronoun.»
When questioned about whether the ban on religious symbols constitutes discrimination, the mayor’s spokesperson clarified: «Enforcing the constitutional provision on state neutrality is essential for ensuring the religious freedom of all citizens.» She further added, “Offices must treat all citizens equally.”
Rafał Trzaskowski, recently re-elected for a second term as Mayor of Warsaw, is also the vice-president of the centrist Civic Platform (PO) party, which currently leads the governing coalition in Poland. This move aligns with a broader secularization effort within the party, as evidenced by PO leader and current Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s 2021 call for the removal of crucifixes from public buildings.
This policy reflects an ongoing shift towards secularism and inclusivity in Warsaw’s public administration.
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