Old cases across the Bug River still cost money. The state pays billions of zlotys

Property beyond the Bug River is – contrary to appearances – not a closed topic yet. The state continues to pay compensation. In total, over PLN 5 billion has already been transferred – indicate experts from the RynekPierwotny.pl website. As they emphasize, in a country with such a rich and difficult recent history as Poland, the connection of housing and historical topics is inevitable.

– The state still pays benefits for property left in the east. The total amount of payments to the Bug River residents is over PLN 5 billion. If the state wanted to compensate property losses in full, the amount given would be much higher, notes Andrzej Prajsnar, an expert at the RynekPierwotny.pl portal.

The case is older than the 2005 Act

Currently, the payment of compensation for the so-called the property beyond the Bug River is based on the provisions of the Act of July 8, 2005 on the exercise of the right to compensation for leaving real estate outside the current borders of the Republic of Poland (Journal of Laws of 2017, item 2097).

– However, anyone who thinks that the topic described became important only at the turn of the century would be wrong. It is worth knowing that already in the mid-1980s, the then authorities created the possibility of cheaper purchase of State Treasury real estate or covering fees for perpetual usufruct by including the benefit for property left outside the country – notes Andrzej Prajsnar.

Recalls that in 1997, a similar solution was introduced into the Real Estate Management Act.

– The subsequent history of the Bug River claims was rich. Along the way, we had the President’s veto on the bill providing for 50% compensation. abandoned property (2001), several important judgments (e.g. those with reference numbers K 33/02, I C 725/01, I CK 323/02), as well as the adoption of the first act comprehensively regulating the claims of the Bug River inhabitants (Act of December 12, 2003). The 2003 regulations had to be significantly improved because, according to the Constitutional Tribunal, they provided for, among other things, too restrictive limits on the amount of benefits included in the sales price of State Treasury real estate – explains an expert from the RynekPierwotny.pl portal.

How much does the state pay today?

The expert reminds that the currently applicable Act of 2005 also does not provide for full compensation, but is more favorable than the regulations adopted two years earlier.

– To put it briefly: people from the Bug River who meet the requirements for confirmation of the right to compensation may receive 20%. the value of abandoned properties (as part of a cash benefit, a reduction in the sales price of State Treasury real estate or settlements related to perpetual usufruct). The value of lost properties is determined on the basis of comparable properties currently located in Poland. The valuation itself is complicated – as is proving the right to compensation – explains Prajsnar.

As experts from the RynekPierwotny.pl website say, the provisions of the 2005 Act are not dead at all. The Compensation Fund run by BGK continues to pay out funds. According to data from Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, from the beginning of payments (2006) to the end of December 2025, 86,137 compensations worth PLN 5.219 billion were transferred. In 2025, 1,181 compensations were paid with a total amount of PLN 83.7 million. As it is easy to calculate, one benefit from the Bug River in 2025 had an average value of just under PLN 71,000. This is not a very high amount, but remember the statutory compensation rate (20%).

The wind is blowing from the east, will there be a cold one?

The expert points out that in accordance with the current “Buża River Act”, the right to compensation is confirmed upon an application submitted no later than December 31, 2008.

– However, some people have had their application submission deadline restored in 2014 (until August 27, 2014). Let us also remember that in the past, proceedings were resumed – including: due to finding new documents – explains Prajsnar.

He adds that in the context of pursuing claims by those entitled to them (including heirs), the recent petition addressed to the President seems to be an interesting issue.

– At the beginning of January 2026, the Chancellery of the President received an appeal to amend the Bug River Act. We are talking about a petition from a person who, despite many years of efforts, found the necessary documents only after 2014, i.e. after the deadline for submitting applications. Unfortunately, it can be assumed that there are more similar situations – especially in the case of people who did not participate in the organized repatriation campaign and therefore had problems with completing the documents – notes an expert from the RynekPierwotny.pl portal.