Polish Bachelor Party Problems

By Konrad Starostka

Bachelor parties are often known for their debauchery, and bachelor party tourism is no different – the only difference is that it takes place abroad.[1] “Like joining a fraternity, a man’s participation in a bachelor party is contingent on sworn secrecy and reservation of judgments.”[2] Morgan Stanley, an investment banking company, “estimated Britain’s stag party market in 2004 at $1 billion a year.”[3] While this is fun for the group that goes and parties in a foreign country, the locals become frustrated from the drunken tomfoolery.[4] Bachelor party tourism in Europe is particularly easier since a new country is only a ferry, car, or train ride.

Bachelor parties are popular in Eastern Europe; men prefer to “get up to no good in Prague, Riga and Amsterdam,” which are three cities known for their sex industries.[5] Eastern Europe in general has been a popular cite.[6] In Eastern Europe, Poland is a popular spot for bachelor parties because of its cheap alcohol, cheap food, and cheap flights. In fact, one of Poland’s major cities, Kraków, suffered from “an invasion of British stag parties attracted by the cheap beer.”[7]

Bachelor parties are notorious for crude themes and often serious consequences.[8] The Hangover, is an example in pop culture of the kind of activates that stereotypically take place during a bachelor party. Recently in Kraków, police are pursuing a group of British men who wore “mankinis,” which is a male bikini popularized by the movie Borat, for “indecent antics” and could face “up to 30 days in custody if convicted or a fine of 5,000 zlotys (£1,000) [($1,282)] each.”[9] This indecency is not unique to Poland as the Czech Republic and Spain also have their fair share of bachelor party tourists.[10]

The Catholic Church in Poland is fed up with the antics that is involved with bachelor party tourists. In Kraków, the archbishop called for a “spiritual renewal” because of the rise of bachelor party tourists that arrive and deface the city with their “debauchery and drunkenness.”[11] Bachelor party tourists from Britain traveled in 2013 to Poland more than any other nationality, which made up 20% of the 1,030,570 foreign visitors.”[12] Donald Tusk, the former Prime Minister of Poland even commented that the visiting Brits are “loutish.”

In Poland, the main punishment for bachelor parties that get too disruptive and boisterous is a night in a drunk tank.[13] The drunk tanks in Poland are native and “notoriously harsh” since Poland has its own problems with alcoholics.[14] Poland’s history of alcohol runs deep, as it is the third largest beer producer in Europe and vodka is the most popular drink.[15] A drunk tank hoped to combat this historical problem, but inside a drunk tank the detainees might be detained for 12 hours, have no access to a telephone, and only be allowed to wear surgical robes.[16] This is a serious issue with due process and violation of basic human rights.

One case showing the harshness of Poland’s drunk tank made it to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).[17] In Wiktorko v. Poland, Wiktorko took a cab home after a night out, but the driver took her to a sobering-up center after she refused to pay the incredible high bill without a receipt.[18] At the center, the staff insulted Wiktorko, “brutally manhandled and beat[]” her, and two men and women “forcibly stripped [her] naked.”[19] Then, Wiktorko was “forcibly put into a disposable gown” and was placed in restraining belts.[20] This treatment involved a Polish citizen, so there is a heightened concern for how foreigners are treated considering the language and culture barrier.

Poland’s Constitution offers broad protection for everyone, and it is Chapter II that focuses on human rights. Chapter II, titled The Freedoms, Rights and Obligations of Persons and Citizens, states that “[a]ll persons shall be equal before the law. All persons shall have the right to equal treatment by public authorities.”[21] The Constitution also states that “[n]o one shall be discriminated against in political, social or economic life for any reason whatsoever.”[22] Foreigners would benefit from most civil and political rights enjoyed by the citizens; however, there is an exception with the right of access to the public service and the right to vote.[23] Poland’s Senate stated in a draft for a bill of rights: “Human dignity is the source of all rights and freedoms.”[24]

There are other authorities that attempt to protect due process and human rights. For example, the Charter of Fundamental Human Rights has a Chapter titled Justice.[25] In that chapter Article 47 and Article 49 address the “[r]ight to an effective remedy and to a fair trial” and the “[p]rinciples of legality and proportionality of criminal offences and penalties,” respectively.[26] Additionally, Poland is a member to the Council of Europe.[27] The Council of Europe’s goal is to promote “human rights through international conventions.”[28]

Bachelor parties can get out of hand, but this does not mean that proper procedure can be dismissed. While there is pressure from locals and religious organizations, partygoers in Poland cannot be subject to inhumane conditions. The drunk tanks require a reevaluation of their ethicalness and effectiveness, especially considering the treatment of detainees.  

#BachelorParty

[1] Neel Burton, The Psychology of the Bachelor Party, Psychology Today (Mar. 13, 2020, 12:00PM), https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hide-and-seek/201706/the-psychology-the-bachelor-party.

[2] David Boyer, Bachelor Party Confidential: A Real-Life Peek Behind the Closed-Door Tradition (2007).

[3] Craig S. Smith, British Bachelor-Partiers Are Taking Their Revels East, N.Y. Times (May 8, 2007), https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/world/europe/08prague.html?ref=craigssmith.

[4] Id.

[5] Chris Kitching, Women prefer sunny Spain for hen parties... but stags prefer to go wild in cities famous for prostitutes and strippers, DailyMail (October 23, 2014), https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2803184/Top-hen-stag-destinations-include-Marbella-Barcelona-Majorca-Prague-Riga-Amsterdam.html.

[6] Id.

[7] Andrew M. Brown, Kraków is a magical city – especially now the stag parties have gone elsewhere, Catholic Herald (April 18, 2019), https://catholicherald.co.uk/magazine/krakow-is-a-magical-city-especially-now-the-stag-parties-have-gone-elsewhere/.

[8] Jessica Booth, 10 bachelor party horror stories that will make you want to cancel your trip, Insider (Mar. 13, 2020, 12:10PM), https://www.insider.com/bachelor-party-horror-stories-2018-7.

[9] Samuel Osborne, Polish police hunt mankini-wearing English speaking tourists over 'indecent antics', Independent (April 4, 2019), https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/poland-mankini-english-tourists-krakow-borat-fine-a8855091.html.

[10] Chris Kitching, Women prefer sunny Spain for hen parties... but stags prefer to go wild in cities famous for prostitutes and strippers, DailyMail (October 23, 2014), https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2803184/Top-hen-stag-destinations-include-Marbella-Barcelona-Majorca-Prague-Riga-Amsterdam.html.

[11] Matthew Day, Krakow: 'defaced by the debauchery and drunkeness' of British stag parties, THE TELEGRAPH (Nov. 20, 2014), https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/poland/11243504/Krakow-defaced-by-the-debauchery-and-drunkeness-of-British-stag-parties.html.

[12] Id.

[13] Id.

[14] Id.

[15] Damian Novitzky, Culture of drinking alcohol in Poland, Studies (Mar. 14, 2020, 10:41AM), https://studies.pl/culture-of-drinking-alcohol-in-poland/; Ewelina Nurczyk, Nightlife and alcohol in Poland, Careers in Poland (Mar. 14, 2020, 10:42AM), https://www.careersinpoland.com/article/travel-and-leisure/nightlife-and-alcohol-in-poland.

[16] Nitin Gupta, Rising Alcoholism in Poland: The true cost and how to get help, Krakow Post (Mar. 14, 2020, 10:47AM), http://www.krakowpost.com/11632/2016/02/rising-alcoholism-in-poland-the-true-cost-and-how-to-get-help.

[17] Wiktorko v. Poland, App. no. 14612/02, Eur. Ct. H.R. (2009), https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{"tabview":["document"],"itemid":["001-91990"]}.

[18] Id.

[19] Id.

[20] Id.

[21] Tekst Konstytucji Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej ogłoszono w Dz.U. 1997, NR 78 poz. 483, Art. 32, Rozdział II.

[22] Id.

[23] Id.

[24] Schwartz, Herman. “Constitutional Developments in East Central Europe.” Journal of International Affairs, vol. 45, no. 1, 1991, pp. 71–89. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/24357057?seq=1. Accessed 11 Apr. 2020. Page 82

[25] Charter Of Fundamental Rights Of The European Union, (2000/C 364/01).

[26] Id.

[27] Council of Europe, https://www.coe.int/en/web/about-us/values (accessed Mar. 14, 2020).

[28] Id.