Life / Health system in Poland one of the worst in Europe: report [78]

I think that regulation and accountability are the key words here to describe the hospital system....much like other topics in Poland, such as dangerous driving, burning coal etc.... I recently was referred to hospital by my doctor who was worried at the rate of my heart beat and blood pressure.....(I already have an irregular heart rhythm condition for which I have been taking tablets) .....I went to my local hospital in the evening and waited 2 hours to be seen...then examined and placed on a bed in the accident and emergency room....various tests were done and a nurse injected me with something....and had to wait until my heart rate and blood pressure were at a reasonable level....after about 1 hour the doctor said I could leave then prescribed some tablets to take....

My experience was not exactly reassuring but I must say the nurse was very helpful and was clearly busy with all the other patients.....The doctor didn't really seem to do a lot...and all in all I didn't feel very comfortable....when I got home my wife read up on the tablets and noticed that they should not be taken with other prescription tablets I have for my thyroid problem, and would likely cause a reaction of some sort......Naturally I wasn't too happy with this and stopped taking the tablets until I returned the following morning to see the cardiologist for the first time who turned up at some point and who asked my wife a few questions (she is Polish and I am British) and didn't look at me once during my consultation....Since then I have found another cardiologist elsewhere and he seems fine, but it is a real effort to get an appointment (or generally an instruction to turn up in the morning without a time) and there are always lots of patients waiting to see him.... This cardiologist has been professional and has generally provided a thorough approach to my problem. Since then I have had a further scan and was told that it would be best I have an operation to correct the heart beat....(electro something or other under general anaesthetic) I had this operation for the first time a few years ago and it seemed to have corrected my heart rhythm at that time.

My concern now is to find a good cardiology unit/hospital in or near to Krakow who will re-examine me and give me guidance on this operation and provide professional, thorough treatment and after care.

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]


Making cheap shots...not really very mature....as a salesman is this the best you can do..?


Yes but the issue here is that the majority of scientists seem to disagree with what is going on with illegal logging of the forest....


Is this the best you can do....to 'question' whether CO has a PHD etc...you really must be desperate......does it really have to come down to 'mine is bigger than yours'...if you want to put forward an argument you should try to explain why you feel it is ok for the illegal logging to continue taking place in the B Forest.....and why it is right to blindly follow the PIS party line....(this should not be political but it seems to me that your opinion has been clouded by your support of PIS.....I think it would be better to distance yourself from your political views and look at what your views are ....not those of a political party.......

What CO has been posting are in my mind logical, intelligent and non political responses to the various points raised.....I think that you can see from the many postings from CO that he has clearly expressed his expertise on this topic concerning the B Forest.....you appear to be grasping at straws with your comments and slurs.....perhaps it's time to accept the facts that illegal logging is taking place in the B Forest and the fact that the EU will not be patient forever....you seem unable to accept that Poland is in the EU and must accept european law....this is not the wild West where you can do anything you like and refuse to comply etc....I know it's difficult for you to change but this is how it is....it's no good arguing and thinking it will all go away...it won't....the longer you and possibly many others continue to support the illegal logging the longer it will take you to realize that this is not a case of 'I am a PIS supporter and must support everything they do' but a crucial issue in supporting the protection of a forest which is of immense benefit to Poland. It is not about looking after the welfare of local people who rely on the forest to create handicrafts and wood for their heating....there are many ways to achieve this without cutting down trees from a protected forest.....just think....its not bad to admit you are wrong, in fact you will be richer for doing so and gain much respect....

this is not a political issue on behalf of PIS, it is in fact a common shared understanding of the need to maintain and protect a Polish treasure

Food / Mushroom picking (and eating:) in Poland [36]

The information on mushrooms has been really interesting. However I am new to mushroom picking and love to eat mushrooms....I am just worried about making sure I am eating a healthy mushroom....I have seen so many traders selling mushrooms at my local market, particularly cepe mushrooms which really look good...

Is there a quick way to make sure that the mushrooms I see at the market are ok to cook and eat.....I often stop and look but hold back for fear that I may end up being poisoned...Perhaps I am being a little over cautious....

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]


This is quite telling on your opinion concerning logging.....Yes....you don't care much about the forest providing it creates incomes, wellbeing and firewood.....its just a few trees so cut them down and when the firewood runs out, cut some more trees down.....No disrespect to local people near the forest but it seems that to use this group of people as a reason for extensive logging is quite wrong.....

Surely there must be other ways to address peoples incomes and wellbeing without widescale logging....I think PIS really need to be a little more creative with their economic plans and find other ways to generate income for local people.(and the rest of the country) As for firewood.....there must be supplies of wood available from other 'managed' forests.....#


...yes....but there will come a time when tourism will drop and the locals will have no tourists to sell their handicrafts to......the bigger picture is the maintenance of the forest and as a consequence this will benefit locals........as for firewood...is it really necessary to cut down an ancient forest so that people can keep warm....please....there must be other avenues of heating homes.....

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]


The trouble with you is that you give up too easily on what is currently happening in the forest and try to justify this opinion with progress in technology and the 'changing world' to be the reason for allowing an absolute treasure to go to the wall....You do seem to have a lot to say and I would suggest you think about challenging the people who are making money from the logging of infested and healthy trees and just see if you can change opinion for the better...ie to stop this logging crime. Yes this is the age of computers and satellites but there are many other more suitable issues in Poland which I am sure would benefit from a good shake up.....maybe healthcare, benefits, increased regulation of road users, infrastructure projects, reduction in bureaucracy etc......(but of course cutting down lots of trees is much easier than trying to improve the living conditions for the Polish...what a shame....)

The difference with what is becoming a major forest tragedy (and an economical/political problem for Poland) is that any solution is not suited to computers, satellites, laptops or whatever.....when dealing with nature, you really need to listen to the people who know about nature, forests and how it is all finely tuned etc, because at present the experts seem to outnumber those who support logging.....the forest is a jewel for the Polish people and it is very easy to say


because it will be too late, the damage will have been permanently done...no amount of tree planting will support this 'natural' forest....it will look nice with new saplings but not to the habitat who rely on a natural forest.....it will be like selling the crown jewels...all gone...too late to reverse the long term damage....just to satisfy people who are willing to take down countless trees to make quick money and prepare their retirement fund.....

..yes I doubt if the whole forest will be wiped out, but the point which has already been made is that the illegal logging taking place daily is eroding and disturbing the habitat....it is not just about trees....but the trees are the answer to natural maintenance of this treasure.....

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]

Casualobserver....thanks for your comprehensive response....it would indeed be grave for Poland if they lost their FSC certification and be unable to sell any timber on the international market....this is my major worry, the fact that Poland will lose any credibility it had and on top of that lose contracts and future work...at the end of the day it will be the Polish people who will suffer and any hope that the economy will improve will again take many, many years to get any nearer to achieving...and Poland will continue to remain behind most of the economies in Europe, all as a result of stubbornness and this sort of unrealistic belief that Poland will achieve everything overnight.....its not going to happen with this approach, it just won't happen....Poland needs to embrace all aspects of a modern society and I feel that this includes just about everything which the public aspire to....if people want to continue debating, arguing, shouting, discussing every single issue to its nth degree and still not accept overwhelming evidence, then Poland will not benefit from any hope it had to improve the economy and the future for the Polish people.....it really is that simple.

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]


Not sure if any of your arguments are logical....you appear to fail to understand what is being said by others.....sometimes in life you come across such overwhelming evidence that you just have to accept the argument and move on. Whether you choose to do that is up to you of course....but with this sort of attitude your 'logic' just wouldn't lead to any progress in any shape or form.....you would just keep going round and round...delay after delay.....and the Polish people deserves better than this...they want to move on and get decisions made, be it on the logging crime in Bialowieza forest or all the other issues which face Poland today to help improve the economy and lifestyle of Poland.

I think that the reason why some posters on this site are becoming a little short with you is that you seem not to understand (or do not want to understand) the subtleties involved in dealing with beetle infestation and how important it is to accept EU law.....the consequence of this continued action by PIS in the forest is likely to result in costly fines, bad blood between EU and Poland, dissatisfied public, voters turning against PIS, reduction or withdrawal of EU funding...etc What a terrible example PIS has set with the logging crime...advocating greed and an attitude of doing what you like, disrespect of their EU partners....not a great way to educate children/young people for the future......and sadly not great for Poland.

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]

Dolnoslask.....


gumishu...


I think you both realise that the issues concerning the logging crime in the Białowieża forest are real and have been eloquently summarised by Casualobserver in numerous postings over the last few days.....bringing up other issues not related to this topic is just a distraction and would indeed seem to be a 'smoke and mirrors' situation which only serves to distort the real issues of what is happening in the Białowieża forest ...please 'man up' to accept the facts as they are and place trust in the scientists who know about these things rather than the politicians who wish they knew but use they position of power to do what they want....then we can move on.....just think of the good you could both do if you were to change your views...it really sounds like you are both PIS supporters but I am sure even if this were the case it wouldn't cloud your judgement.....

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]

I think that this is game, set and match on the question as to whether Poland has broken any laws.....quite simple really just read the links provided by 'CasualObserver' and this provides all the information needed to see what is happening and it shows that laws are being broken........its only taken hours of postings to get this point across....Now will this be enough or will it be necessary to get signed statements from news agencies, the EU or whoever to prove the information or are these links all false.........lets move on from acceptance that laws have been broken to what should be happening next.....

The logging problem really feels like the Wild West with people just doing what they like, breaking the law, destroying trees, assault on a cameraman (albeit an isolated incident but does show that the contractors know they are doing wrong and keen to keep the public away from the forest), giving out of false/misleading information, contempt for any opposition etc....the PIS really must think so little of the voting public that they can just steam roller through the illegal logging in the belief that everyone agrees with this....or perhaps expects the public to overlook what is happening in the forest on the basis of it being just a few trees and that there are more important things happening....eg. law and order changes....500zl payments....etc.... I don't think the voting public are that stupid and will make their own minds up when they see the terminal damage caused to the forest.....(providing of course that information on what is happening in the forest is made available to the public)....

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]

CasualObserver....thank you very much for your insightful and helpful overview of the Bialowieza Forest problem. This is very useful for understanding the bigger picture and what is at stake which in the case of PIS appears to be money and helping forestry friends increase their income and retirement funds. Clearly those who benefit from this current logging crime are short sighted and fail to understand (or don't want to understand) the terminal effects of their work. It shows incredible disrespect to the Polish people who have been lied to time and time again as to the reasons for logging.....and of course the Polish people will ultimately be the ones who suffer....reduced prospects of work....etc. Luckily those that do know the real story behind this will continue to educate the ones who turn a blind eye to all that is going on.....

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]

Braveheart16 - for Szyszko, his friends in the forest industry and anyone else who will benefit, to line their pockets and prepare for retirement.
Ironside -


I am not sure that the decision to cut down trees is actually 'owned' by the 'system of government' in Poland...it would seem to me to be more of a PIS initiative rather than PIS following some existing Polish statutory laws which give them the right to cut down trees in Białowieża Forest...be it infested trees or healthy ones and sell them on....The forest is special to many people in Poland and many others including the EU and UNESCO who continue to be concerned on the continuation of logging....If there are any laws in place which allow Polish governments to carry out logging in a World Heritage Site such as Białowieża Forest I would be interested to see them.

Beetle infestation is of course a serious issue but the method on how to deal with it needs to be discussed with professional bodies within Poland and outside (such as the EU...UNESCO...etc) who all have a vested interest to protect these special sites....it is not something which should be dealt with in isolation...As a member of the EU, Poland doesn't have the final say on such important and sensitive issues like this....

I presume it is ok to sell infested wood to others....or should these particular logs be burned......why not give away the healthy wood to people who would really benefit from some useful fuel.

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]

Ironside.....


I think the bottom line is that they are keen to continue logging for money in Białowieża Forest for as long as it takes or until the EU start imposing large fines on Poland for challenging existing law. I don't think that the PIS are so short sighted to allow the forest to become a meadow but will in time have sold enough of the trees for Szyszko, his friends in the forest industry and anyone else who will benefit, to line their pockets and prepare for retirement. PIS will pull out of this logging fiasco at a convenient moment to appease the voters and the EU. Of course by then extensive damage will have been caused to the forest. As for the idea that if they are just logging for money and could find the same trees in other parts of the state forest to cut down instead.....yes they could do that and probably do, but in addition to what they are already doing to Białowieża Forest....greed has no limits.

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]

Ironside


Please just get your facts from the people who know...maybe try Unesco who I would guess have a reason for declaring the forest a world heritage site..It doesn't matter who did what to who and when....what's important is what is happening now and how wrong it all is.....basically illegal logging which is being sold off to various companies or whatever.....this nonsense of an excuse by Szyszko that it is now a health and safety issue for the public really smells of someone who is running scared and trying to justify his decision...he is just a politician who probably won't last for much longer...they are 10 a penny....what is more important is the long term position concerning the Belowieza forest and how it will continue to provide tourism with a real destination and special memories.....The law is quite simple and the EU will not leave this alone.....they will continue to debate Polands refusal to stop logging in a Unesco world heritage site.....once a tree is felled that's it....the tree no longer lives and any animals/insects will be disrupted....all this for the sake of money...how sad and narrow minded....not really the thoughts of a forward looking political party...more of thoughts of a dinosaur group of people who appear to have captured votes through issuing 500 zlotys every month to every family who has a second baby.....incredible....it is so transparent.....and fake....

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]

G undercover......I have to say that I have never met you before and you clearly don't know me so calling me a leftie is really a weak response to a topic which worries you.....I think you probably know that the logging issue is wrong but just can't bring yourself to admit it.....sorry but you really need to look at the evidence....

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]

Supporters of PIS turning a blind eye to the logging.......sounds like what happened with the concentration camps during WW2..people turning a blind eye, very easy, very convenient so long as I and my family are alright, short term planning...very stupid...it really is quite sad and disgusting that people can be so selfish and greedy...they really don't deserve to be allowed a vote in politics or really offer any view whatsoever because these supporters really are unable to appreciate the bigger picture....very narrow minded and selfish....how sad and what do the Polish youth see in this...what do they learn from this sad episode...what do they think....who knows.

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]

CasualObserver......thank you very much for your full and comprehensive explanation of the issues surrounding the Białowieża forest logging.....your comments were really helpful in understanding the bigger picture....this doesn't seem to be a vote winner for the PIS and unfortunately this will continue to erode all the good work done with funding of Polands infrastructure, education etc and potentially lead to reduced EU funding.....with the result that the Polish people will be the ones who suffer....what a tragedy...

Roger5....I Googled your suggestion and found a useful video which provides an interesting insight into the logging practices....

bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-41031299/will-fairy-tale-biaowiea-forest-survive-poland-s-fight-with-the-eu

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]

It really is incredible that the PIS can be allowed to get away with the felling and sale of so many trees in the ancient forest....it really is a grab and cash in situation which will of course deplete and ruin these magnificent forests....having read some of the previous postings on this subject it probably would be right to fell infected trees and just leave them in the forest for nature to take its course and to allow important animal life to continue living in this environment.... Maybe PIS could start producing some statistics on how many trees are infected, the extent of this problem, why it is necessary to cut down infected trees and why they have to sell infected trees....in this way the public may start to understand more of the problem and allow them to make their own minds up about the rights or wrongs of logging...at the moment the news just talks about the EU -v- Poland. PIS seem unable to put forward any credible defence save from the standard message.....insufficient detail....insufficient reasons...etc.....pretty poor show....

I would much rather see more transparent management of forests to deal with the continuing problem of rubbish which is allowed to accumulate in various parts of forests....which includes bottles, beer cans, paper, plastic bags etc etc.... I have no idea what people think about this problem....do locals care enough to do something about this...eg. speak to the relevant authority and get the rubbish removed...it is an eyesore....or why not go for the easy option and organise regular clear up operations using volunteers....and combine this by educating the public on the dangers of tipping rubbish in forests...national advertising etc. Tourists must be so disappointed and shocked to see the rubbish when they walk in the forests....this to my mind is a really important problem which can so easily be solved.....

Travel / Białowieża National Park in Poland [461]

Merged:

Ancient forest of Białowieża

It would seem that the EU are out to decide on what penalties/action to take against Poland for defying EU law by refusing to stop logging in the ancient forest of Białowieża. Whilst a decision has yet to be taken by the EU it still seems odd to me that the insect infested trees are being sold....would it not be safer (or dare I say it ethical) to burn the wood or do all these insects run/fly away whenever a tree is felled.....I doubt it. I have no knowledge of the insect world and effect on trees and even less on how to deal with infected trees but it just seems right to burn those that are infected to contain the problem....or is it a situation where the non affected parts of a tree are cut and sold separately....? It sort of smells a bit when people are making money out of such an important ancient forest which has been listed as a Unesco world heritage site. Any thoughts on this?

News / 2ND MIRACLE OF THE VISTULA: youth mysteriously appear out of nowhere! [231]

Ironside......

Is this what you were referring to when you said that judges select themselves.....?

The National Judicial Council......A critical step in establishing the autonomy of the judicial branch was the Sejm's vote in December 1989 to create the National Judicial Council. The twenty-four member council, consisting of judges from the national, district, and local levels, serves a four-year term and has the primary function of recommending judgeship candidates to the president. Another basic function of the body is to oversee the entire judiciary and establish professional standards.

In the UK the body responsible for appointing judges is called the Judicial Appointments Commission.....They would both appear similar in composition although it would seem that the difference in the UK is that members of the commission are from many different legal backgrounds/specialisms and professions and politicians are not involved in influencing or controlling the behaviour of judges.

In view of the current proposal to address 'accountability' of judges is it really a smart move to allow politicians to control, oversee and pass judgement on judges. Do you not think that this is better carried out by professionals / lay members etc rather than politicians who come and go and whose job really should focus on politics and making Poland a better place to live. This of course does not appear very democratic and only serves to inflame the public who can smell a rat and will no doubt eventually use their right to vote in future elections.

News / 2ND MIRACLE OF THE VISTULA: youth mysteriously appear out of nowhere! [231]

gumishu....


Great.....was he prosecuted for theft.....or at the very least was he dismissed or disciplined.....? If not.....there lies the problem.....

News / 2ND MIRACLE OF THE VISTULA: youth mysteriously appear out of nowhere! [231]

Atch....


Then this is a great shame...and will only serve to delay progress needed to improve the economy, stability and reputation of Poland.....I will keep my fingers crossed....

News / 2ND MIRACLE OF THE VISTULA: youth mysteriously appear out of nowhere! [231]

gumishu.....


Actually I do live here and I am aware of the unfair rulings that you refer to.....apart from finding out why judges have the need to steal and give unfair rulings which is perhaps another discussion, there is a need to clean up this situation. To demonstrate impartiality the government need to look at the possibility of creating an independent commission or use a specialist police unit to investigate wrong doings, corruption and theft. (if this is already in existence then clearly they are not doing their job properly and need to be replaced) I would liaise with other European countries on tried and tested methods of dealing with corruption in the judiciary and share knowledge and resources to set up an effective unit. Until corruption/theft is resolved there will be little public confidence in the judiciary.

I am not sure that I would favour the public electing judges, and would rather see appointments made by, for example a judicial commission, some professionals, some lay members, specialists in law, a general mix.... all appointed through open and fair competition....With statutory powers the duties of the commission would be to select judges solely on merit, and select only those of good character....The National Judicial Council and other departments in the Polish judicial system all serve a useful purpose and may well be using the open and fair competition approach, but perhaps some now need to be revisited and new powers agreed and updated. It is of course almost 30 years since Poland regained its independence and we are of course discussing the most Important aspect of any democratic country....its legal system.

All this would take time but would in my view create a meaningful approach to deal with the problem of corruption etc. I get the Impression that it's a quick fix the PIS are looking for and one which would appear to be biased in favour of political gain and not one which offers a fair, impartial and effective solution.

News / 2ND MIRACLE OF THE VISTULA: youth mysteriously appear out of nowhere! [231]

Ironside.... I did actually say independence of judges from politicians...To be honest 'independence' and 'accountability' go hand in hand. You say that judges select themselves in Poland and are beyond any control and accountability...could you just set out how they do this....If this is correct I would say it is commendable that changes need to be made, although I am still at a loss to agree that judges should be appointed by politicians and controlled by the same. Not a great way to promote democracy....As I already mentioned accountability of judges in the UK centres around being monitored by an independent body and use of transparent policies to weed out the poor performing or corrupt judges. With this form of regulation (accountability) it tightens and reduces the possibility of corruption.

Look further into Europe and you will find legal systems where the judges are routinely monitored and regulated by independent bodies...

News / 60% of Poles say Szydło's government should resign [238]

To me what is odd are the roles of the President and Prime minister...I have been following the progress of the PIS and news reports over the last year or so and I find it difficult to understand who is actually properly managing Poland....The Prime minister has of course been vocal at press conferences and the President also....however I get the impression that Beata Szydło is a politician who aspires to a higher level which really is currently above her station....I sort of think that she needs to gain more experience before she starts addressing Europe on international issues. Whilst her main issue is immigration and related problems I can appreciate the points she makes....but that is all....I don't see her talking much about the economic problems in Poland...pay scales...health service....housing....levels of pollution.....etc the usual concerns faced by everyone....however she does talk a lot about immigration which although important should really provide views on a more broader level...there are many other very important issues to address....and time drifts by....

In the other corner is President Duda who although a cheerful chap and looks the part...doesn't really cut it on the political circuit....save to irritate Europe on his internal reforms and all the other stuff...he just doesn't seem credible....Jaroslaw Kaczynski the leader of PIS is probably the person with all the power in my view and you really get the impression that he pulls a lot of strings...However he really doesn't have a lot of clout outside Poland save to cause concern and worry on what he is putting forward as PIS policies.....I think he needs to think more internationally and take on board the bigger picture....sadly I don't think he will and will eventually run out of steam to make way for a more progressive and internationally knowledgeable leader....

Again who is running the PIS...President...Prime minister or Leader....?

News / 2ND MIRACLE OF THE VISTULA: youth mysteriously appear out of nowhere! [231]

Ironside.....My question was really directed at 'independence' from politics rather than the method of selection and yes Judges in the UK are appointed but through a selection process..(I can't speak for the USA as I am not American)...and are basically appointed on merit to instil public confidence and accountability. It all centres around impartiality and independence from central government and from undue pressure from business, the media and politicians. This really is what is at the heart of most other democratic countries.

News / 2ND MIRACLE OF THE VISTULA: youth mysteriously appear out of nowhere! [231]

It does seem strange to me that in an effort to eliminate corruption amongst some or all of the Judges, PIS have tried or have installed Judges who are PIS supporters or at the very least favour PIS ideology. This in itself is not something that would seem to me to give much confidence in creating an unbiased and independent group of Judges making decisions on legislation put forward by PIS. In nearly all other modern societies Judges are treated as completely independent and are elected not appointed. Yes there are still possibilities for corruption with Judges in other countries but there is regulation and checks, designed to weed out the corrupt ones. I am not sure what regulation and checks are in place with the Judges in Poland. Maybe PIS should go on fact finding missions to other countries to find out how their legal systems work in terms of regulating Judges, lawyers etc, and use a similar system in Poland. It is a tried and tested method and generally provides the best results.

My other point is there would appear to be some talk about PIS minister(s) wanting control over Judges so that in certain special situations they could discipline offending Judges. Judges in my view should be monitored and regulated by an independent body/commission who have experience of the legal process and not politicians who are not lawyers. There has to be a separation between the legal process and politics. With the best will in the world there is a difference between Judges who are trained professionals and politicians who come and go. In short politicians should distance themselves from the legal process otherwise it is open to accusations of potential manipulation and corruption which I thought is what PIS are trying to stamp out.

People in Poland do seem to smell a rat and it is no surprise that there are demonstrations, but not to worry it is just demonstrations....however if the PIS party are upset that their President has vetoed their proposals then maybe they need to re-elect a new President if that is possible...given what is happening it probably is possible. It is surprising that although PIS have a majority they still want to change the makeup of Judicial appointments when in fact they just need to talk to the body who represent Judges if one exists and agree on how 'corruption' can be regulated. Normal day to day wrong/ poor decisions etc by Judges should surely be monitored by an independent body who should have the powers to discipline.....it happens in other countries why not Poland?

News / 2ND MIRACLE OF THE VISTULA: youth mysteriously appear out of nowhere! [231]

I think that one or two posters on this topic spend too much time in the past and really need to look more towards the future and what government policies could help Poland to improve its economic situation...jobs...salary...conditions of employment etc...the usual things which people need and would benefit from.

Historical discussions are interesting but in my view discussions on current problems and solutions are more practical. Demonstrations take place in all countries and I find it strange that so much is being said about them...its quite normal to have demonstrations even on the scale currently seen in Poland....People shouldn't be worried about demonstrations they are quite normal and democratic.....if you really disagree with what the demo's are about then fine, just vote for the party you believe in at the next election.

Life is too short to debate history....just move on and channel your views on finding solutions to the real practical issues faced by people in Poland...and if this is not possible then perhaps something needs to be changed whatever that may be. At the end of the day people know what is fair and what isn't and they will vote for change if they feel it is needed. Change just needs to be embraced but of course it depends on whether you are set in your ways ....the past....or whether you want a great future for Poland. Time is precious and more effort should be spent on finding solutions rather than trying to justify the policies or methods of PIS...it really is just a political party like any other which will come and go like any other in any democratic country.

Law / Highway Code equivalent in Poland? [7]

Atch......thank you very much for this information....much appreciated.

News / Tusk or Hollande -- a Salomonic dilemma? What will be better for Poland? [180]

This is an interesting discussion on the worthiness of the EU and elections etc....however I feel that there are other more pressing issues which I think are being overlooked. I feel those who attack Tusk and the EU really need to see the bigger picture for Poland.

The EU will not go away just yet, despite all the opinions and suggestions and bearing in mind that the EU have already provided funding on a massive scale to help improve the position of Poland (and yes loans will need to be paid back but then again it is the same with all loans) I think the government need to work with this and focus more on their achievements to date and future achievements and set out how these will help the Polish people.

I think people need to be told what has been achieved so far to give people some sense of living in a country where change is making a real difference to their lives. I don't seem to see much being said about the local policies and achievements and future plans.....but there seems to be a lot being said about the EU, Tusk, and bureaucrats on TV etc....I am sure that many Polish people would much prefer to hear about the real projects currently in hand which will directly help them improve their situation whether it be job creation schemes, environmental improvements, business development, regulation, changes to employment law....things that people would be keen to hear more about and ultimately benefit from.

Without the funding from the EU, Poland really will have found it a challenge to catch up with the economic and social benefits enjoyed by other European countries. Just accept membership of the EU and get on with improving Poland. There are many great things in Polish life which are unique and Poland can be a country of destination and an even better place for the people who live there, providing less time is spent on debating and complaining about other politicians, the EU etc....and more time promoting Poland and telling the Polish people how and where the EU money is being spent and how it will benefit them and what the future holds for them.

I just don't seem to see much communication happening to let the people know what progress is being made with projects designed to improve Poland and peoples lives. (yes there are the local authorities if one wants to go to the offices, or if they are fit enough to go there or if they really have the time) I feel that people will have a greater sense of satisfaction and inclusivity of the decision making process, projects under way and just about anything which will affect us, if they were able to see and hear regular updates on projects ....it would be good to see community centres where local events are held on a regular basis, where people can have fun and talk to each other or meet people for the first time, or just to have somewhere to go for an hour or so. I feel it starts with meaningful communication and not having to guess what exactly is happening on projects which will directly improve peoples lives. There seems to be a lot of Chinese whispers happening which will only make it more frustrating for people who really want to know more of what is happening.