The Polish parliament, which banned ritual slaughter of animals for the halal and kosher markets in January, is now considering revoking the law because of economic pressures.

Poland's highest court, the Constitutional Tribunal, ruled this week that the ritual slaughter of animals by religious groups violates the country's constitution and animal protection laws.

Poland's harsh anti-abortion laws were condemned this week by the European Court of Human Rights after an almost unbelievably callous series of events were inflicted on a teenage victim of rape.

In an unprecedented move that is seen by some as "revolutionary", the Polish government is seeking to realign its relationship with the Catholic Church – and not in a way that the Vatican will like.

The Catholic Church in Poland was shaken to its foundations in October last year, when one in ten Poles who voted in the general election cast their vote for the anti-clerical Palikot Movement.