Krzysztof and Łukasz had been in a committed relationship for several years, with hopes of growing old together. However, their love story met a tragic end while they were on holiday in Bari, Italy, where Łukasz suddenly died after contracting hepatitis.

Now, Krzysztof is facing bureaucratic hurdles in his efforts to repatriate Łukasz’s body to Poland.

"It's terrifying that, without the right connections, you can't get anything done. Every official washes their hands of the matter, demanding a complete set of documents firsthand," Krzysztof shared in an interview with Newsweek journalist Renata Kim.

One of the main obstacles to bringing Łukasz’s body back to Poland is that he and Krzysztof were not married. Under Polish law, LGBT+ couples are unable to formalise their relationships, which means that when one partner faces health issues, the other is often left in the dark, unable to obtain any information from medical staff. Krzysztof has also criticised the Polish consulate in Italy for providing insufficient support and has pointed to errors made by officials.

"Right now, there’s no chance we’ll be able to return this week, all because a Warsaw official forgot to inform us about yet another required document. During a phone call, she admitted it was her mistake, but there was no apology. Share my story, please. And my advice: always buy travel insurance. More importantly, fight for minority rights. Without your support, we can’t change anything," Krzysztof posted on Facebook.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to the tragic case, addressing accusations of insufficient consular support. The ministry stated that it lacked the legal authority to perform the actions Krzysztof requested in connection with his partner’s death.

"The Polish consul is not responsible for handling the legal matters concerning deceased individuals in same-sex relationships. He also cannot act outside the law or disregard its enforcement. While it is understandable that someone grieving the loss of a loved one might misinterpret or overlook certain information, this should not be the sole basis for a journalistic piece that significantly undermines trust in the Polish consular service," the ministry's statement said.

The Basta Foundation, founded by activist Bart Staszewski and his partner, has become involved in the case. The foundation, which monitors media for hate speech targeting LGBT+ individuals, has now issued an appeal to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, requesting his intervention in the case of the deceased Polish national. The Foundation is calling for the ministry’s urgent involvement and assistance in resolving the issue.

"In addressing this letter to you, I want to emphasize the great hope that many Poles have in the new, democratic government. For many of us, this is a long-awaited change that restores hope for restoring dignity to those who have been humiliated and harassed in recent years. However, we cannot wait for legislative changes—the State must support its citizens despite the challenges posed by the lack of legal recognition of partnerships in our country. I trust that this will indeed happen in this case," Bart Staszewski wrote.