Wincig
31 Oct 2016
Travel / Trip from Szczecin to.. - advice on when to stop off in Poland [5]
Do you realize the post you replied to is over 6 years old??
Do you realize the post you replied to is over 6 years old??
Wincig
31 Oct 2016
News / Hypocritical PC dictatorship bans Polish film in Berlin [26]
Thanks Dolno for the link in German, which indeed confirms what Polly wrote. I hope they manage to find another cinema for the screening. However controversial the film might be (it is a pure guess, I haven't seen it), it should be allowed on screen..
Thanks Dolno for the link in German, which indeed confirms what Polly wrote. I hope they manage to find another cinema for the screening. However controversial the film might be (it is a pure guess, I haven't seen it), it should be allowed on screen..
Wincig
27 Oct 2016
News / Commie-era ex-SB and militia being phased out, Poland's interior minister [30]
In my book, no one, even when discussing with an opponent one despises, should promise things they cannot/knowingly won't deliver. It is a question of self respect (my word is my bond). Furthermore, I am not a specialist but I doubt the police act as you describe. Don't you think that promising things which are not delivered subsequently would backfire massively , ie that would critically diminish police credibility in future critical situations hence make them ineffectual?
When police negotiate with a kidnapper or potential suicide, they will promise anything to get him to back out
In my book, no one, even when discussing with an opponent one despises, should promise things they cannot/knowingly won't deliver. It is a question of self respect (my word is my bond). Furthermore, I am not a specialist but I doubt the police act as you describe. Don't you think that promising things which are not delivered subsequently would backfire massively , ie that would critically diminish police credibility in future critical situations hence make them ineffectual?
Wincig
27 Oct 2016
News / Turkey abolished visas for Poles. [80]
Yes
Not only. Also plenty of Rum (ie Greek), Italian, Slavic, French, Jewish, Armenian etc blood
Just shows how deluded Serbians can be. No wonder they had such a complicated history!!
Actually, Turks are NOT Semites at all, but rather Uralic-Altaic in origin aka "Turkic",
Yes
Turkish has indeed undergone a heavy Arabic overlay for nearly a thousand years
Not only. Also plenty of Rum (ie Greek), Italian, Slavic, French, Jewish, Armenian etc blood
they considered them to be children of Czarnybog
Just shows how deluded Serbians can be. No wonder they had such a complicated history!!
Wincig
26 Oct 2016
News / Turkey abolished visas for Poles. [80]
Turks are Semites? Are you out of your mind Crow? They originate from Asia (see Uighurs in China), were nomadic are indeed have mingled with everyone.. But semites???
Turks are Semites? Are you out of your mind Crow? They originate from Asia (see Uighurs in China), were nomadic are indeed have mingled with everyone.. But semites???
Wincig
26 Oct 2016
News / Commie-era ex-SB and militia being phased out, Poland's interior minister [30]
You don't address the point. If there was an agreement during the roundtable talks not to prosecute those who were in power at the time against a peaceful transition, how can those in charge then (Bolek in particular) renege on their word 2 or 3 years later? I understand the frustration of those who suffered from the deeds of the communist regime (such as the family of my wife) and I would probably react the same way if I suffered like them. But most of those who suffered are committed Christians and doesn't christianity teach to forgive? More over, now that 25 years have elapsed, seeking vengeance is all the more destructive. It creates polarisation in Polish society, and having now lived in Turkey for the past 3 years, I see how polarization can be destructive for the long term future of society.
You don't address the point. If there was an agreement during the roundtable talks not to prosecute those who were in power at the time against a peaceful transition, how can those in charge then (Bolek in particular) renege on their word 2 or 3 years later? I understand the frustration of those who suffered from the deeds of the communist regime (such as the family of my wife) and I would probably react the same way if I suffered like them. But most of those who suffered are committed Christians and doesn't christianity teach to forgive? More over, now that 25 years have elapsed, seeking vengeance is all the more destructive. It creates polarisation in Polish society, and having now lived in Turkey for the past 3 years, I see how polarization can be destructive for the long term future of society.
Wincig
26 Oct 2016
News / Turkey abolished visas for Poles. [80]
Wife and I just came back from a piano concert at the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul organized by the Polish consulate on the occasion of Poland taking the presidency of the Visegrad group. The polish pianist played music from Hungary, Czech R, Slovakia and of course Poland. Very nice atmosphere, Poles and Turks really get on well one with another..
Wife and I just came back from a piano concert at the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul organized by the Polish consulate on the occasion of Poland taking the presidency of the Visegrad group. The polish pianist played music from Hungary, Czech R, Slovakia and of course Poland. Very nice atmosphere, Poles and Turks really get on well one with another..
Wincig
26 Oct 2016
News / Commie-era ex-SB and militia being phased out, Poland's interior minister [30]
Polly, I am surprised someone "au fait" like you gets its chronology so wrong.. The roundtable talks in Poland started in Feb 1989 and ended in April of the same year, with the first free elections in Poland in June. Yeltsin did not come to power in Russian until 2,5 years later (Dec 1991) when the Soviet Union was dissolved. Gorbatchev himself resigned on 25/12/1991.
After the official dissolution of the USSR and in view of Yeltsin's anti-Soviet and pro-Polish stance, there was no threat of a Soviet blood bath
Polly, I am surprised someone "au fait" like you gets its chronology so wrong.. The roundtable talks in Poland started in Feb 1989 and ended in April of the same year, with the first free elections in Poland in June. Yeltsin did not come to power in Russian until 2,5 years later (Dec 1991) when the Soviet Union was dissolved. Gorbatchev himself resigned on 25/12/1991.
Wincig
26 Oct 2016
News / Commie-era ex-SB and militia being phased out, Poland's interior minister [30]
This is true; but the really relevant question is whether this was the price to pay to have Poland lead the bloodless coup that ultimately toppled the communist order in CEE, a little like what Yeltsin and Putin did with their "I let you replace me at the helm of Russia but you do not prosecute me or my immediate family members".
If that was part of the roundtable agreement, as I suspect it was, then it might well be a price worth paying to have a peaceful transition, however despicable from a moral point of view.
They stopped effective lustration and toppled the govt to prevent secret police files being opened.
This is true; but the really relevant question is whether this was the price to pay to have Poland lead the bloodless coup that ultimately toppled the communist order in CEE, a little like what Yeltsin and Putin did with their "I let you replace me at the helm of Russia but you do not prosecute me or my immediate family members".
If that was part of the roundtable agreement, as I suspect it was, then it might well be a price worth paying to have a peaceful transition, however despicable from a moral point of view.
Wincig
26 Oct 2016
Real Estate / Price of residential property in Warsaw. What percentage of Polish people are house owners here vs renters? [7]
Merged: How have residential real estate purchase prices moved in Warsaw over the past 5 years?
Have they generally gone up, down or stayed flat? Is there a difference between the top end of the market and the rest, between houses and apartments? I am of course talking about prices in zlotys per sq m.
Merged: How have residential real estate purchase prices moved in Warsaw over the past 5 years?
Have they generally gone up, down or stayed flat? Is there a difference between the top end of the market and the rest, between houses and apartments? I am of course talking about prices in zlotys per sq m.
Wincig
23 Oct 2016
News / Corporate-linked EC attacks Poland's retail tax; govt suspends collection [74]
Well, yes, and even more.
According to Forbes, the top 8 companies in Poland are, in that order, PKO BP, PKN Orlen, PGE, PZU, KGHM, PGNiG, Tauron, Grupa Lotos. All those companies are controlled by the Polish government. Compare this to the Dax 30 (Germany's 30 top companies) which is more than 60% owned by foreign investors, or the CAC 40 (France) which is 50% owned by foreigners.
It is true that in 2 sectors, retail and banks, foreigners dominate the polish market. But there is a good reason for this: lets' start with retail; there was no modern distribution in Poland in 1990 as such, and the Carrefour, Tesco, Auchan did not buy existing polish assets, they brought expertise and capital in the country. And they are not making and have never made big profits (reason why some players like Metro/Real decided to exit) and "modern" distribution control a much smaller share of the polish market (around 45pc) compared to other countries where they operate (80 pc or more in the UK or France)
In banking, the biggest bank is Polish owned. And the polish regulator KNF, one of the most difficult in Europe, makes sure that polish interests are preserved at all time. It is, to my knowledge, the only banking regulator in Europe demanding that the CEO of a Polish bank speaks the local language, hence introducing a biais in favor of Polish nationals. During the subprime crisis, one of the largest banks in Poland, subsidiary of a big european player, put a multi billion euro deposit with its parent to shore up the latter's liquidity which had been thin following the crisis. Within 2 days, KNF ordered the deposit to be brought back to Poland, which the bank complied with. And last but not least, there is still plenty of room for a Polish entrepreneur to start a bank and make it thrive , look at the success the franco-polish Zalewski family had with Alior which they started less than 10 years ago( of which the control has just been sold to PZU).
Well, maybe not Siemens right now, but that's exactly what Preussag did at the turn of the millenium . Preussag was one of the main steel makers and shipbuilding companies in Germany; they had been losing ground for some time and decided to transform themselves in the early 2000's into...TUI, one of the Europe's leading tour operators.
So all countries -- USA, Germany, France, etc. -- are dominated by non-native capital to the same extent that Poland is
Well, yes, and even more.
According to Forbes, the top 8 companies in Poland are, in that order, PKO BP, PKN Orlen, PGE, PZU, KGHM, PGNiG, Tauron, Grupa Lotos. All those companies are controlled by the Polish government. Compare this to the Dax 30 (Germany's 30 top companies) which is more than 60% owned by foreign investors, or the CAC 40 (France) which is 50% owned by foreigners.
It is true that in 2 sectors, retail and banks, foreigners dominate the polish market. But there is a good reason for this: lets' start with retail; there was no modern distribution in Poland in 1990 as such, and the Carrefour, Tesco, Auchan did not buy existing polish assets, they brought expertise and capital in the country. And they are not making and have never made big profits (reason why some players like Metro/Real decided to exit) and "modern" distribution control a much smaller share of the polish market (around 45pc) compared to other countries where they operate (80 pc or more in the UK or France)
In banking, the biggest bank is Polish owned. And the polish regulator KNF, one of the most difficult in Europe, makes sure that polish interests are preserved at all time. It is, to my knowledge, the only banking regulator in Europe demanding that the CEO of a Polish bank speaks the local language, hence introducing a biais in favor of Polish nationals. During the subprime crisis, one of the largest banks in Poland, subsidiary of a big european player, put a multi billion euro deposit with its parent to shore up the latter's liquidity which had been thin following the crisis. Within 2 days, KNF ordered the deposit to be brought back to Poland, which the bank complied with. And last but not least, there is still plenty of room for a Polish entrepreneur to start a bank and make it thrive , look at the success the franco-polish Zalewski family had with Alior which they started less than 10 years ago( of which the control has just been sold to PZU).
Just heard Siemens is scrapping its manufaturing facilities and is evovlving into orchard (esp. apple and plum) production.
Well, maybe not Siemens right now, but that's exactly what Preussag did at the turn of the millenium . Preussag was one of the main steel makers and shipbuilding companies in Germany; they had been losing ground for some time and decided to transform themselves in the early 2000's into...TUI, one of the Europe's leading tour operators.
Wincig
28 Sep 2016
Love / Should I bring gifts? - help with a Polish wedding [46]
Here in Turkey, bride and bridegroom don't get cash but..gold coins!!
I still think the best solution is that of the wedding list where one chooses among a preestablished list of items. No risk of giving a present which is not needed/wanted by the young (or old) couple..
Here in Turkey, bride and bridegroom don't get cash but..gold coins!!
I still think the best solution is that of the wedding list where one chooses among a preestablished list of items. No risk of giving a present which is not needed/wanted by the young (or old) couple..
Wincig
27 Sep 2016
News / Adam Michnik awarded for integrity, professionalism and high standards. Poland's No. 1 fascist? [321]
Another phone call made your finger slip??
Honi soit qui mal y pense!
Another phone call made your finger slip??
Wincig
27 Sep 2016
Love / Polish girlfriend may be pregnant - what girls from Poland think on having a child without marriage? [54]
+1
we tend to bond with them
+1
Wincig
21 Sep 2016
Real Estate / To buy a property in Poland - a basic starting point needed. Where is a good region to buy and why? Finances. [7]
Your wife is right. Whereas British law is very skewed towards landlords, the opposite is true in Poland (like in many other countries in continental Europe)
When I was looking at buying a Polish property for rental my wife always dissuaded me from doing so telling me that in Poland the law is more forgiving to tenants who do not pay (???)
Your wife is right. Whereas British law is very skewed towards landlords, the opposite is true in Poland (like in many other countries in continental Europe)
Wincig
6 Sep 2016
UK, Ireland / Polish man beaten to death in London! [99]
In what sense??
Polaks should recognize Britain is no different than Turkey.
In what sense??
Wincig
1 Sep 2016
News / Turkish invasion on Polish TV - Poland's opinion on Turkey [30]
Yes, until 3 months ago, that put Turkey on par with Germany, France or the UK. Now , the UK has doubled its count, but it still lags Poland which has had 3 female Prime Ministers (Suchocka, Kopasz, Szydlo).
If one looks at when women were allowed to vote, Poland is top of the list a alongside Germany (vote granted in 1918 in both countries), followed by Britain (1928), Turkey (1934) and France is last (1944). So on the whole, of the five countries named, Poland is the most feminist!
and the first as well as ONLY female to do it, too.
Yes, until 3 months ago, that put Turkey on par with Germany, France or the UK. Now , the UK has doubled its count, but it still lags Poland which has had 3 female Prime Ministers (Suchocka, Kopasz, Szydlo).
If one looks at when women were allowed to vote, Poland is top of the list a alongside Germany (vote granted in 1918 in both countries), followed by Britain (1928), Turkey (1934) and France is last (1944). So on the whole, of the five countries named, Poland is the most feminist!