Law / Investing in Polish stocks and bonds [8]

I had a long chat about this with an American bank executive who is based in Warsaw. I expressed an eagerness to invest in the Polish stock market and he somewhat dampened my enthusiasm, not because of the economy but rather because the way business is done. Most Western stock markets have very strict codes of conduct and protocols that simply aren't in place in Poland yet. Some of the conduct that takes place would be prohibited and/or illegal in the US market system for example. So, you really need to know what you're getting into. Rather than invest directly into the Polish market, I invested in Poland through a mutual fund traded in the US (CEE - Central European Equity Fund) and a company (CEDC - Central European Distribution Company). CEE has been brilliant (up 142% since I bought in) and CEDC has been great (up 56%). I believe that's the smarter way to go rather than diving into a market that's finding its way.

USA, Canada / Importing a car from the US to Poland [12]

We live in New York - we're in Poland two months out of the year so we don't qualify for repatriation. The idea was to let my wife's family use the car when we're not here. If we can save money by putting the title in their name, I have no problem with that though.

Law / Investing in Polish stocks and bonds [8]

Maybe a little, but not significantly. I bought CEE four years ago, before the dollar went in the crapper. CEDC is a newer acquisition, Jan '06. They distribute vodka. Can't go wrong there.

I'd say look into the market in your home country (Ireland, I assume) and see if you can find Polish companies or companies affiliated with Poland trading in your market. Or find out what companies are doing business in Poland (not necessarily Polish ones) because certain sectors will be benefiting from the influx of EU money (companies affiliated with infrastructure building for example - cement, asphalt, power). I compare today's Poland with the Ireland of a decade ago. They have a lot of similarities, which is one of the reasons I started looking into Polish stocks in the first place after seeing first-hand how Ireland prospered when their EU membership kicked in.

USA, Canada / Importing a car from the US to Poland [12]

Dzieki. I've been getting a lot of varied opinions such as "There's a 60% tax on all imports" and other vague guesses, but this seems much more sane and probable.

Life / Assalamou Alaikum. 1 year old child passport problems [35]

ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/applying/nationality/advice/bn1

6. Will a child who is born in the United Kingdom on or after 1 January 1983 have a right to become a British citizen if neither parent is a British citizen or settled in the United Kingdom when the child is born?

Yes -

(a) If one of the parents becomes a British citizen or becomes settled (see Note 5) in the United Kingdom and an application for registration is made before the child is 18; or

(b) If the child lives in the United Kingdom for the first 10 years of his or her life, and is not absent more than 90 days in any one of those years; or

(c) If the child is a British overseas territories citizen (see Note 3), a British Overseas citizen, a British subject under the 1981 Act, a British protected person or a British National (Overseas), and he or she lives legally in the United Kingdom for 5 years; or

(d) If the child has always been stateless and lives in the United Kingdom for a period of 5 years before his or her 22nd birthday.

If the child is not entitled to registration, he or she may still be registered as a British citizen if the Home Secretary agrees.

News / Poland 2007 Elections: PO Won, PIS second [232]

Good riddance Kaczynski, Kaczynski, Lepper and Giertych.

Very happy for Poland.