Poland considers legislative changes to burial and inheritance laws

The Polish government is preparing to liberalize regulations regarding the burial of the deceased. According to reports, the Ministry of Development and Technology is drafting an amendment to the 1959 Act on Cemeteries and Burial of the Dead.

Proposed changes include allowing the scattering of ashes in memory gardens within cemeteries or at locations significant to the deceased. The amendment also aims to permit the storage of urns containing ashes within private homes and the use of ashes in jewelry as a memento. Additionally, the new regulations are expected to address ecological burial options, such as bio-urns.

Separately, legal experts highlight the importance of proper will preparation in Poland to avoid inheritance disputes. Valid forms of wills include handwritten, notarial, and official (allographic) wills, as well as special oral wills. A handwritten will must be written entirely by the testator to be valid. Experts note that a will can be invalidated if it was made under duress, error, or a state that prevents conscious decision-making. Furthermore, omitting an individual from a will does not automatically constitute disinheritance; effective disinheritance requires specifying legal grounds within the document.