History / Future of Kaliningrad Oblast - is it possible to annex by Poland or will it become an independent country? [137]

Yes but the people who live there will have even more depressing lives. Nobody will invest there so the only employer will be the Russian state, which has no money.

Finland and Sweden joining NATO makes the Baltic fleet just as useless as the Black Sea fleet.

I think one solution would be to turn the Baltic fleet into gambling and party ships for Scandinavian tourists. That would generate a bit of cash.

Law / Old Polish money banknotes - what's their value today? [415]

They are useless - worth 28 cents rather than 2.850 dollars

History / Crazy 1990s in Poland - transition from communism to capitalism - stories [108]

Quite a few big business started off that way - like CCC which now sells about 50 million pairs of shoes a year !

My neighbor sold bathroom fittings that way - got them from Germany and drove back through the night to sell them. Now a millionaire with a large bathroom business

Real Estate / Can a German Citizen buy a piece of Land to build house in Poland? [14]

Yes but that can be a rather time consuming process. There are big delays in most of the government offices at the moment.

As well as a notary you will also need to make sure you have the up to date Geodezja documentation. Also note that if your partner wants to build any structure on her garden then that will be much more difficult if the plots are separated - there are limits on footprints and his close to neighboring plots etc.

Honestly might be quicker and cheaper to put a ring on it

Love / Is Marriage Or Seriously Relationship With Polish Ladies Worth It? [16]

A few months ago you asked for advice about this kid. I wrote you to consider it carefully and talk to a lawyer before making a commitment, hope you did that.

Polish women have lots of qualities but don't expect them to put you over their kid and don't expect a medal for paying the bills - you are a grown up and in Poland that ,means paying the bills (and also does in the US, certainly in Polish American households

But you are entitled to set some ground rules, if you had your own kids then you know what they are. If you didn't and came to parenting late in life then read up on that, ask friends and family and most of all discuss with your partner

Off-Topic / Stock Market and Trading Talk [1011]

I'm sticking with the 6 I picked when you challenged md in June. Of those SAP, Siemens and Schlumberger are doing nicely in this rally.

Apple and LI, your tips, are not doing great

Off-Topic / Stock Market and Trading Talk [1011]

Amazing how you always time these stock market rallies to perfection JR :) but wondering why you didn't mention your buys on our stock market thread !

Study / Upper age limit masters in Poland? [6]

If you mean to the MBA programme then no. in fact early 30s is rather a normal age to do it.

If you mean regarding visa issues then I have no idea.

News / Is NORD STREAM dangerous for Poland's natural enviroment? [540]

Yes and the Spesnatz are fresh from their last successful mission - capturing Zelenskiy and Kiev airport

It was all going smoothly until they realized Kostya had forgotten to bring the ammo, Vanya had forgotten the food and Sasha forgot to fill the petrol tank

News / Is NORD STREAM dangerous for Poland's natural enviroment? [540]

I doubt Russia could organize the submarine, divers and explosives to be in the same place at the same time - these are incompetent Russkis we are talking about.

Plus any money for that operation would have been sent to Cyprus long ago.

Russia can organize Ballet, ice fishing and amateur **** shoots. Nothing else.

Who cares anyway - it ends the discussion about Nordstream and Murderer Putin can no longer use that as a threat. That is a good thing.

Language / Helping Non Polish Student studying in Public School [32]

I don't know Rich, but I don't see why that is your concern, because you are not a Polish taxpayer

For sure it's a lot less than the cost of all of the governments handouts and electoral bribes.

Worry about your own taxes - they have been spent on gold shoes for Putin's mistress, plus helmets that don't fit, tanks that don't move and missiles that can can't fly in a straight line.

Language / Helping Non Polish Student studying in Public School [32]

Phils please ignore Novichok - a bitter Russian troll who knows nothing about Polish schools

Off-Topic / Stock Market and Trading Talk [1011]

But you coild have guessed that when you made your tips ?

Or they could have showed up in those charts you buy ?

Interest rates rises were obviously needed to prevent inflation

Off-Topic / Stock Market and Trading Talk [1011]

What? Thats nuts JR - three months ago you were challenging me for stock picks.

I gave you some, bought yours for fun and now you are heading for the hills ?

Real Estate / Moving to Poland to either buy or build a house [15]

It is not easy to get designated as a farmer - in your case virtually impossible

It is possible to split up farmland into plots but very time consuming and quite expensive

Once done it is then difficult to sell farmland in the future - as you will need to find a farmer from that powiat to buy it

The govt made these laws to stop people buying farmland and paying lower social security- but the end result is that rural land becomes illiquid and difficult to mortgage.

Food / Best hypermarket to shop for foods in Poland? [50]

You need to get out of Warsaw :) Dino is massive in the Polish countryside. The owner is I think in the top 5 richest Poles now. Shops are not very nice but they have a presence even in villages of 1000-2000 people.

Billa was bought by Leclerc - long time ago, maybe 2010

Food / Best hypermarket to shop for foods in Poland? [50]

Bomi closed in about 2008 - so did the other luxury concept, Alma. Both overexpanded into smaller towns.

By number of stores Dino is now just behind Biedronka, but way behind in total sales.

Netto is still developing after buying the last few Tesco stores.

Off-Topic / Stock Market and Trading Talk [1011]

So looking at my six selections I am doing OK the last month

only one is not beating the market

Pekao Down 7 percent
Biedronka Down 3 percent
SAP. Down 9 percent. My broker is always telling me to sell
Schlumberger Up 3 percent
Dexcom Up 2 percent
Siemens. Down 7 percent

JR your two are lagging the market

Apple. Down 14 percent
LI. Down 24 percent

Still - lets take a raincheck at Christmas. Apple might recover. No idea about LI, but for electric vehicles in general the recent frauds are creating a bad impression.

Off-Topic / Stock Market and Trading Talk [1011]

I'm keeping Apple because of the walled garden with iTunes but I think iPads and Macs are running out of steam and I think the new iPhone is way overpriced

Anyone who spends 6000 zloty on an iPhone 14 has no right to complain about their gas bill going up

Off-Topic / Stock Market and Trading Talk [1011]

It is not so bad in Europe - German and French markets are down 7 percent for the month v 13 percent fall in US.

Poland performing poorly and 10 percent down for the month, mainly because of the proposed extra tax on stock profits.

On our stocks - Siemens down. 6 percent for the month - it will fly when the war finishes, Apple down 13 percent and I see it"s been heavily shorted recently. I am hanging on to both though.

Things I have bought thus month - Linde, General Dynamics, Costco

Work / Tax accounting (do I need to file tax, as no work has been proceed due to corona?) [5]

You can submit it online - go to podatki.gov.pl. For instructions

I think physical submission is still possible but you need to check that

Work / Tax accounting (do I need to file tax, as no work has been proceed due to corona?) [5]

Yes you need to file tax return but it won't take long - 10 minutes if you speak Polish. If not get someone to help you - the forms are online.

The liquidation process takes a long time but better to do it. Ask an accountant to help you

Life / Giving tips in Poland [235]

What is weird with the US bartenders is that you pay as you go along and then have to tip as you go along, and that's the guys above say, then unless you are constantly handing over a couple of bucks for every drink you end up getting bad service.

But that is arse about face - the idea of the tip is as a thank you for service, not as a bribe to be served quickly later on in the evening.

Life / Giving tips in Poland [235]

I lived in both and it's just a different culture - I normally tip my bartender in Poland maybe 10 zloty when I settle up but it's certainly not expected. Doesn't make us "cheap" - barkeeps in Europe have minimum wages and social security (at least they are supposed to)

I'm sure there are the odd bartenders who can make a few hundred bucks a night in NY or Chicago - it's a lot less in small town North Carolina and I'm sure if asked most of them, students and young moms, would prefer a regular wage

Life / Is it worth returning to Poland in old age? [168]

The people who are holding their prices are going to be in trouble once the mortgage holiday ends - but I'm sure it will be somebody elses fault and once again the shrinking number of taxpayers will have to help them out

Life / Is it possible to earn honestly some greater fortune in the present day Poland? [40]

No - just my personal opinion :)

Life / Is it possible to earn honestly some greater fortune in the present day Poland? [40]

If we are talking about 1m zloty in assets, including a house then I think several million Poles have that - lots were able to acquire their house in the early 90s.

If you were to raise it to 2m zloty - say 400k EUR then I think a much smaller number - about 300.000 or 1 percent of the population and maybe half able to acquire that honestly

Real Estate / Can I buy land in Poland remotely? [14]

It can be done remotely by giving someone a notarized power of attorney.

Three big questions

- do you speak Polish yourself ?
- are you a Polish citizen ?
- is your country part of the convention about notarized deeds ?

It could take you a few weeks to organize that so if your purchase is urgent you should start on thar admin soon

If you live somewhere with a big Polonia like Toronto or London then ask a Polish speaking lawyer there

Off-Topic / Random Sports News [855]

Of course you know what's coming next

"Should US players be excluded because of Iraq / Vietnam / Bay of Pigs ?"

Russian troll logic

Real Estate / What is a contract with a want notary? [13]

Yes it's legally binding. Notaries are expensive and time consuming and not really used for small residential leases