News / Multi-culti (in Poland) -- roadmap to disaster? [344]

I guess when your country loses it's identity like the UK, it becomes important to some of us. Maybe being born during the last years of the empire makes a difference. I can't say I miss Charles and Annes summer holiday on Blue Peter though. Spoilt buggers. It was a different England then. The village station master was a true racist. If a black person got off the train, he kept them there until the next train arrived.

My school friends who moved to London some 30 odd yesrs ago are now coming back saying it's lonely because there are so few English people. That's sad.

News / Multi-culti (in Poland) -- roadmap to disaster? [344]

No I want a box with "English". That would suffice.

Would you want to be other if you were a Pole in Poland? It wouldn't happen.

News / Multi-culti (in Poland) -- roadmap to disaster? [344]


Yes and I'm not allowed to be white English anymore. There is no box on the forms :(


Slightly out of context but badly worded by myself. But why disable your children by suggesting they should always speak Polish in or around the home? Let them be natural and make the choice themselves.

I have made the effort to try and learn Polish BUT for me it is not going to happen. I understand whats being talked about (usually) but wrapping my tongue around them R's and things is not possible. To long in the tooth.

News / Multi-culti (in Poland) -- roadmap to disaster? [344]

When looking at a house with my Polish partner, her Polish friend said "You don't want to move there. Polish people live next door!"

I really laughed but soon understood is was no joke by her expression.

The area in which I live is referred to as the "Polish Ghetto" by some Poles. Personally I find them unobtrusive apart from the parking arrangements and their lack of understanding as to why Polish children living in England should speak English. 6 VW Passats don't fit in the drive of a 3 bed family home.

Law / Is running a business in Poland very profitable? [33]

Retail appears to be very profitable in Poland.

For example a £5 T Shirt in the UK will cost you £40 in Poland. The identical product.

Why is this? The only conclusion I can draw from this and what I have seen in Poznan, is that big retail is controlled by a very few, very rich people. No competition.

I have considered openning a shop myself, but I have a feeling the consequences would be dire for an English man.

There are other ways!

Life / Struggling young Polish couple - try to solve their problem [176]


My information came from a Polish banker who said there were over 2000 in Poznan alone.

Life / Struggling young Polish couple - try to solve their problem [176]

From my understanding the Polish banks are about to dump 1000's of repossed houses onto the market. The Polish property market is about to nose dive. Wait and rent

Love / I need advice: divorce and my rights as a father in Poland [165]


Well said that woman

Love / I need advice: divorce and my rights as a father in Poland [165]


Wrong. It does not matter what country you live in or what nationality you are. The law in this case would be based on 'habitual residence'. Removal from habitual residence by one parent is only allowed when both parents enter into a formal agreement. Verbal would be insufficient as it opens the door to he said she daid. There are exceptions. For example if you left your partner and children in one country to return home it could be considered as "Aquiessance" and visiting the child in the country where you left them can be considered the same. To Aquiesse you would also have not tried, in any way, to get your partner to return with the child to the country of habitual residence. This does not prevent you from visiting the child, it just means you need to take precautions before doing so.

In this case the events would go like this

Hague application through Official Solicitor in the UK
OffSol makes formal application to Central Authority in Warsaw
Local Court recieves application and sets date - 2-3 months
First hearing - Every attempt to transfer to Polish process will be made
Second hearing - The abducter or retainer usually backs down as they know they can't win. For those that don't, often their legal rep will leave them to it

Third Hearing - Most likely the return order with 21 days to appeal (Mostly there is no grounds for appeal)

21 Days later the judgement is final and the child must be returned. If not this escalates into Police and Kurator visits and if this fails it is possible to apply for an EAW as in the Dutch case.

It is hard to argue this is a criminal act under Polish Law although it is possible, but, more importantly abduction and retention are criminal acts under International Law.

In certain circumstances Polish Law seems deficient in protecting childrens rights as well as parents overseas.


Fails. A hague application kills it stone dead.

Love / I need advice: divorce and my rights as a father in Poland [165]


EAW's have been used in a Hague case in Poland. This was a case where a Polish woman returned to Poland from Holland and was ordered to return under Hague proceedings. She attempted to hide the children and was later subject to an EAW and returned to Holland.

Really all you have to do is ring reunite in the UK and they will give you the advice you require. Do it now!!


Not only can it happen; It will!!

The Hague Convention is simply a tool to bring two parties together in the same country where the child was habitually resident in order that custody can be resolved under the laws of that land. Combined with Brussells II it is very powerful. Poland has failed to implement the Hague in the past correctly but it is slowly improving as the old guard of judges retire. They have also been fined on several occassions I believe. Hague cases are dealt with at the High Court in the UK. In Poland they are dealt with at a local level and the judges recieve no or little training. Also the courts in Poland are open to outside influence. For example 2500 Euro can comfortably keep you out of prison.

Article 13b under the Hague provides that a minor cannot be returned to a place of danger but the operative words are "grave risk" which effectively means that the danger must be imminent or extreemely serious and must be proven as such. Statements such as my wife hits the children are not enough. It has to be proven. Countries such as the UK have resources available to competently manage the return of a child in this situation, so article 13b cannot be used against the UK. If article 13b is used for a non return in the UK, it classed as a judicial error and juristiction transfers to the UK under Brussells II and the case is heard in England and Poland would be duty bound to effect a return.

Love / I need advice: divorce and my rights as a father in Poland [165]

Ok it doesn't like returning to the US but UK has very little trouble with returns.

Unfortunately I am experiencing the Hague and Poland at the moment. It's not so bad but earlier posts on the court system are quite realistic. My partner (the mother) was treated like scum of the earth initially but now they understand the TRUTH they are much more receptive. I would not want to get divorced there if I wasn't Polish.

Love / I need advice: divorce and my rights as a father in Poland [165]


First send her a letter recorded delivery stating you do not want her to remove your child from the UK.

When she does use "The Hague Convention for Abducted children" to secure her return.

For now get in touch with Reunite.org and take some serious free advice.

Life / Flowers for my Polish teacher. What kind should I bring? [11]

Yellow means your leaving her. I made this mistake with one Polish girlfriend.

With the next girl I bought Lillies. They were out the front door in seconds. Nearly me too.

Law / British married to a Polish woman and they have a son. Son's British Passport? [65]


I have to agree with this conclusion. The Family and Gaurdianship Code from 1965 is appalling to western thinking. Polands adoption of European friendly laws appear to be overidden by this document. How many procecutions are there for beating children are there in Poland annualy? It appears from the FGC it is appropiate to beat your children with anything that comes to hand as it is good for them. It also appears this document takes precedence over modern law.

Currently my Polish partner and I are experiencing the delights of the judicial system. My partners children were wrongfully retained by her husband on a contact visit. Not only were they retained but they were drugged and her son was nearly suffocated. It was only by luck he never became one of the many child killed by parent statistics Poland is generating at the moment. We presented documents to the court from a psychologist who interviewed the boy along with countless other information only to have back from the court "I have looked at the documents, but I'm not doing anything!". By chance we recovered the boy 5 days after the abduction but the daughter remains with a psycho who spends his day telling her "we must kill mummy", "Mummy doesn't love you. She didn't give me some of your birthday cake", "look how can your mummy love you. What has she done to me" We know because we have the flat bugged.

There is NO Law to PROTECT children in Poland. There is only Law to FORCE people to stay together. My partner and her son have escaped their beatings, hopefully the HC will work for her 4 yr old daughter. Sadly I have my doubts as 9 days ago we started a 7 day process to allow my partner access to her daughter at weekends and my partner is now being told, she has made trouble for herself in court, and of course we have no answer. The court even told her yesterday "off the record" that if she wants her daughter back, move back to Poland.

In my opinion her children will always be Polish in whatever country they live, and by living and experiencing another country, maybe one day they will go back and make Poland a better place. Try telling a Pole that!!