From January 1, around 40,000 ex-communist secret service agents have taken a substantial cut in their pensions.

This is the effect of a special law created last March which hits at the privileges of communist functionaries.

Members of the Military Council of National Salvation - which was the body which carried out and supervised martial law in 1981 - used to receive anything up to 8.500 zloty a month in pensions. They are now on around 4,000 zloty a month (1000 euros).

On January 13 the Constitutional Court will look at the new law after leftwing members of parliament claimed that it introduces the notion of collective responsibility to what were individual crimes. (pg)