GORZELIK AND OTHERS v. POLAND JUDGMENT 9 They referred to the arguments set out in the pleadings filed in the case. The representatives of the applicants declared that paragraph 30 was modelled on a similar provision to be found in the statutes of the Socio-Cultural Society of Germans of the province of Katowice. ... The President urged the representatives of the [parties] to make certain concessions in their positions. He proposed to the provisional management committee that, for example, they delete paragraph 30 of the memorandum. However, the representatives of the committee absolutely refused to do away with this provision. The representatives of the [Governor] also adopted a harder position, in that they demanded not only the deletion of paragraph 30, but also a change of the name of the association. The two sides engaged in a polemic as to whether or not Silesians should be recognised as a nation or nationality. ... The representatives of the [Governor] argued with the applicants, claiming there were no grounds for ascribing Silesian nationality to people. [The hearing was adjourned and subsequently resumed] At this point the representative of the [Governor] declared that, if the applicants were to delete paragraph 30 from the memorandum, the [Governor] would not object to registration of the association. J. Gorzelik reacted vehemently to this proposal, but the President told him to think it over. In connection with the above, the [applicants] asked to be given a time-limit within which they could react in writing to this suggestion and consider the [Governor's] proposal. The Court decided to allow [the applicants] ten days in which to react to the proposal of the [Governor] ...” 29. On 27 May 1997 the applicants lodged a pleading with the court, maintaining that in the course of the above-mentioned hearing the authorities had “de facto acknowledged that a Silesian nation exists”, in particular by accepting the name of the association and certain provisions of the memorandum (namely paragraph 7 (1) and (4) and paragraph 10). They stressed, however, that the authorities' insistence on the removal of paragraph 30 was “unjustified and illogical” and, consequently, refused to alter or delete that provision. Later, on 16 June 1997, the Governor of Katowice submitted his final pleading to the court, opposing the registration of the association. 30. On 24 June 1997 the Katowice Regional Court, sitting with a single judge and in camera, granted the applicants' application and registered their association under the name “Union of People of Silesian Nationality”. The relevant reasons for that decision read as follows: