In December 2002, one of the buildings on the grounds of the Regional Hospital for the Nervously and Mentally Ill was lent to the Bolesławiec branch of the Polish Red Cross. According to the hospital’s current director, the PCK was supposed to purchase the property and improve the building’s technical condition. It did not do so, and the agreement to use the rooms expired at the end of December 2005.
“It is not true that we were supposed to buy the building. We did not sign a new agreement to use the rooms because it is unfavorable to the Red Cross. We are being forced to use more space than we need,” says Danuta Zielińska, head of the PCK in Bolesławiec.
“We do not want to be responsible for what is happening in this building. The entire building must be managed by the PCK, not just the basement, ground floor and first floor,” responds Janusz Kalisz, the hospital director.
The director points out that, because of its technical condition, the building was taken out of service. Formally, no one should be staying there. The director adds that the PCK is not complying with various building-law procedures, fire-safety regulations and occupational health and safety requirements. The head of the PCK admits that certain tasks recommended by firefighters do in fact need to be completed, and that the Red Cross will certainly carry them out.
“It is not my goal to put homeless people out on the street. I want to bring the situation into legal compliance. We began negotiations on a new agreement last September. More than a month ago, I received a letter in which the PCK refused to sign the agreement, despite the arrangements made with the mediator, who was the city mayor. Now the PCK is once again, probably for the fifth time, talking about buying the building, but is doing nothing in that direction,” says Janusz Kalisz.
“At the meeting with the mediator, we did not express a willingness to sign the agreement in its current form. However, we have to start discussing either the PCK taking over the building or moving out. Two months ago, we referred the matter to the board in Warsaw. They are to make a decision,” explains Danuta ZIelińska.
Boleslawiec.org learned that the mayor of Bolesławiec appealed to the Marshal of the Voivodeship to intervene in the matter. As is known, the city finances part of the shelter’s operating costs.
Because the agreement was not signed, the hospital management cut off the water supply and heating in part of the shelter’s rooms. The shelter is currently used by 35 people.
(KG report)