News / Poland says no to flood of Immigrants [670]

Atch the thing to do about Crno is either ignore him or mock him. Or argue back if you really have time. Not shut down his rights to spout nonsense.

Any attempts to reduce free speech should be given the most careful consideration - it really is the freedom that all our other freedoms are built upon.

I would hope that Ireland with its huge literary tradition would be a place to stick up for that right (Poland the same - should be a beacon for free speech)

News / Poland says no to flood of Immigrants [670]

It's a weird thread - Russians, Brits and Americans telling Irish people what Ireland is like

News / Years of Poland in the EU - assessment of pros and cons [1199]

He was working for the BBC as a sports reporter and they asked him to change it - so he used his Mum's name.

Was deported from Poland once by the commies in the 80s.

An interesting guy who certainly knows more about Polish affairs than some other Polonia.

Real Estate / How is it being a landlord in Poland? Do poles pay their rent etc.? [8]

So my experience as a casual landlord - 17 years in the game. Maybe 10 tenants in 2 properties.

1 eviction and a few other cases of delay - longest was for 6 months during covid.

I am not a professional- just renting out places where I used to live. If you want to make proper money then listen to someone who does it for a living - there probably are ways to get rid of bad tenants but without the language and patience and experience then it will be more difficult

Read in the paper than in 2022 one in four properties had unpaid rent - but that includes social housing and was also after covid so maybe no longer accurate

Real Estate / How is it being a landlord in Poland? Do poles pay their rent etc.? [8]

When was the last time anybody used a check in Poland to pay their rent ? I think Pilsudski was still in power !

Real Estate / Would you rent from me? [24]

Well on Otodom there are 4 houses for rent in the whole of Olsztyn - an indication that the house rental is not really common in secondary cities.

Maybe a better move to build, put in the sustainable solar etc and then sell ? Would need the same amount of capital and a more obvious market.

Real Estate / Would you rent from me? [24]

Very expensive for Olsztyn

News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]

This might end with PiS sitting in the Sejm pretending they are the government and all the other Posels holding an alternative parliament in the Sheraton

It seems PiS are determined to trash Poland's image for as long as possible but all they do is make Tusk look like a wise and patient man.

News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]

Drags on for a month during which the taxpayers of Poland continue to pay the PiS sinecures.

As they are people who don't work, they also don't understand the concept of wasted timw.

News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]

What do you think would happen in early elections ? Do you think there are people who would change their minds after seeing this unreasonable behavior?

It would obviously be a complete wipeout for PiS, probably terminal.

Every day of delay about 700 PiS voters meet their maker.

News / Time to clean the swamp - dePiSification of Poland [324]

Source = living in Poland and trying to do things, trying to run my business honestly and being sick of my taxes being funneled straight into the pockets of some Waldek and Czeslawa over in Chelm.

Yes this has always happened but it has steadily declined between 2004 and 2015. PiS has taken it to a whole new level (same in Hungary too BTW, where I also do business)

News / Time to clean the swamp - dePiSification of Poland [324]

In the state companies and media, many of these have written their own contracts with heavy compensation clauses for dismissal. So hard working taxpayers like myself will be paying for these lowlifes to drive around in fancy German cars for a few more years.

The directors of the Provincial post offices can have no complaints - they knew nothing about post, and not much about sitting in an office - these were pure sinecures for PiS organizers and pig farmers who funded PiS.

News / Coronavirus in Poland - part 2 [599]

Nobody from government will ever admit either

That the lockdown was too long long and severe.
That the paper masks are not proved to be effective

Scientists are even more unwilling than politicians to admit mistakes, so you probably need to wait 30-40 years for impartial research into what worked, once everyone involved is retired.

And these policies came from left and right - Boris, PiS, Hungary etc all had lockdowns just as long and hard as US Dems, Trudeau and Macron.

I supported the lockdown and wore my mask because I was told like everyone else that it would be a few weeks. When they still were trying to push us around 18 months later, after we were vaccinated, it was pretty weird.

Language / What are the best professional reasons for learning Polish? [16]

Outside Poland none - every country has a large Polish diaspora who would take any Polish language job

Inside Poland it is extremely useful, especially with French - there is high demand in Polish for French speakers

News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]

So in the end a convincing defeat for PiS, a rejection of Konfederacja and looks like people just want a half normal government that is not full of fruitcakes.

Will be interesting to see the results in Eastern towns like Bialystok and Rzeszow - I think PiS is losing a grip over there

News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]

I think Duda will use the veto sparingly and I don't think a new government will provoke it on say Sunday shop opening or abortion.

If Duda just vetoes at will that will just make PiS even less popular - they need to start attracting younger voters

News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]

The currency markets are sharing everyones good mood today - zloty up sharply against the Euro and Dollar.

News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]

Even a few more points for PiS won't make a difference - Konfa are too weak to do anything and probably would avoid a coalition with PiS.

Electorate have spoken clearly that they don't want PiS. For PiS the path forward will be to ditch Kaczynski and the weird cult stuff and come closer to the centre.

News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]

Seems PiS took back a lot of voters from Konfederacja. But hopefully we will see the back of them now

News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]

Queues quite big at our polling station - all ages. I think the high turnout might benefit PiS in the suburbs.

News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]

Very weird General Staff resignations today - at least 2 top Generals.

News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]

I turned it on at 19.10 and lasted 2 minutes.

I thought I could handle another PiS term but now I know how bad that would be.

I think it is the first time I watched TVP since the World Cup

Real Estate / Rentals Deposit Return [8]

Yes, get your contract out and check two things

- what would happen if you broke the contract early
- if there is any mention of the thing about having to find another tenant

You could have a lawyer read it would probably cost you about 300 zloty and they will give some proper advice - better than you will find on an internet forum

Real Estate / Rentals Deposit Return [8]

How much was your deposit and how much was the rent ?

If your deposit was less than say 3000 then it won't be worth the hassle with the court which will be slow and will all be in Polish

USA, Canada / Cigarettes reach nine dollars a pack in New York [109]

Gorby tried the high tax thing with booze and the Udmurtians responded in the only way they know - blinding themselves with paint stripper and perfume, leaving themselves too drunk to procreate and with an epidemic of fatal liver complaints.

It was the start of their demographic catastrophe

News / Unfulfilled promises by PiS [559]

I'm fine with that argument but now they are just handing out borrowed Gierek style money Jon - nobody has generated it, but the dwindling number of taxpayers will have to pay it back.

News / Unfulfilled promises by PiS [559]

PiS is a leftist party. It's core belief is handing out money, high taxes and nationalization.

News / Referendum to decide about exotic immigrants in Poland [559]

No - still mostly Ukies and other Ex Soviets.

It does seem a Little India is developing in the stretch of JP2 north of Hala Mirowska

News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]

Your own link says Czech has the lowest unemployment.

Who is to say unemployment will not start to increase now ? In fact I think that is a very likely scenario but we can come back to it in a few months and argue about it

News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]

There is always a balance and at the moment they have that balance wrong.

The massive increases i. Minimum wage are interesting - I always try and pay 10-20 percent above that for entry staff but this year I have given up on that idea and their wages are effectively set by the govt. that is a very unhealthy way to run the economy