News / Polexit? Almost half of the Poles believe that Poland would be better off outside of the EU [548]

You are confusing govt spending with the total economy - an easy mistake to make if you grew up in a place where hairdressers and sprat factories were state owned.

And yes govt can run deficits for many years if there is a strong private sector that can provide tax revenues and real growth. The US has run a deficit since the 1830s - that's about 4 whole lifetimes or 8 vodka soaked chain smoking Russian lifetimes

News / Polexit? Almost half of the Poles believe that Poland would be better off outside of the EU [548]

Yes - might be the case in Russia where the boss man controls the entire economy.

In Nowy Sacz there is private enterprise and those hard working, free, educated people suddenly have a 400m person market one for them.

So the Russian way of managing the economy is dumb indeed - unless you are one of the lucky few in a gold plated helicopter.

News / Polexit? Almost half of the Poles believe that Poland would be better off outside of the EU [548]

Somewhere in your Ivy League education did they tell you that the benefits of trade are a multiplication, not a simple addition of inflows and outflows of EU funds. That is stuff you would learn in freshman year.

Even more barmy is the idea that everyone had a home computer in the 1990s - I went to entire factories that did not have a computer,as late as 1999

Polonia / Polish Zloty Can't Exchange in France!.. [26]

Another thread about immigration in Western Europe ? Just what the doctor ordered

History / Recommended Poland's history books [257]

In the stack for me - will try and read it later this month, my wife is listening to an audiobook but the narrator sounds like a Notariusz and I didn't think I could face it.

I notice that threads about culture are merged but threads about Muslims multiply.

News / Polexit? Almost half of the Poles believe that Poland would be better off outside of the EU [548]

Not to mention pulling Poland permanently out of the orbit of the Russian drunk invaders - so Britain and Germany can spend less on defence

News / Polexit? Almost half of the Poles believe that Poland would be better off outside of the EU [548]

So, some people who live abroad and are too young to remember pre EU Poland don't appreciate the changes that have occurred.

Serbia and Croatia were roughly of equal wealth in 1989 - croatia is now. 4x richer.

Poland and ukraine were also roughly equal GDP per head in 1989 - Poland is now 4x richer.

Romania and Bulgaria are now 2x richer than Serbia, both have doubled wealth since 2007. Romania by the way is catching up fast with Poland.

The value of the EU is not in the handouts but in the opportunities it provides and which Polish business has taken full advantage of - something an Ivy League student like yourself should easily understand.

News / Polexit? Almost half of the Poles believe that Poland would be better off outside of the EU [548]

Thanks for that - I needed someone to explain opportunity cost to me

Google would have been invented in Siedlce if it wasn't for the pesky EU

News / Polexit? Almost half of the Poles believe that Poland would be better off outside of the EU [548]

Instead of talking nonsense about Homo Sovieticus let's compare the countries that did join the EU in 2004 with those that did not.

Poland, Czech, Hungary, the Baltics , Slovakia, Slovenia vs Serbia, Macedonia, Albani, Ukraine, Moldova etc. in some cases these were in the same country 30 years ago but are now worlds apart.

Do you honestly think the Poles have a greater work ethic than the Ukrainians ?

News / Polexit? Almost half of the Poles believe that Poland would be better off outside of the EU [548]

" A project that doesn't benefit Poland"

Since 2004 Poland is richer, safer, more investment, lower inflation, lower unemployment, longer life expectancy, less inequality, rising health standards, less smoking, less drinking, better roads, town centers that look totally different, money in the countryside for the first time where many people now have their first cars and computers,

Apart from church attendance can you name one measurable thing that has gone backwards in Poland since 2004 ?

Work / Self-employed American living in Poland? Is it possible? [54]

It is a big white elephant - from my hotel in Warsaw I can see only about a quarter of the flats are in use and it's been like that for several years.

As a place to live it makes no sense - if you have kids then there is no garden. If you are single then you could live in the Marriott or Intercontinental for about 25 years for the same price but have all your meals and get your room cleaned.

Work / Self-employed American living in Poland? Is it possible? [54]

Well I was thinking if you lived in some place like Tennessee or NC or Virginia then it is cheaper and there are plenty of middle of the road normal people there and a pleasant lifestyle.

You self declare your tax and if you are earning that much then they are unlikely to ask for a paper trail provided that you pay more or less on time each month - they don't get uptight if you are 2-3 days late.

Wouldn't worry too much about the currency - you might have bad months but it has been quite stable over 2 years. The Polish govts plans to give free money to half the country will probably keep the zloty quite soft for a while. I invoice sometimes in dollars, mostly in euro and sometimes zloty.

Work / Self-employed American living in Poland? Is it possible? [54]

Those kind of yields are very much the exception - I am lucky if I get 5 percent once I factor in taxes, running costs and even less if you include your own time. It's better than bank interest but no goldmine and quite difficult to manage efficiently if you don't speak Polish.

You will need to declare your US income and pay tax on it in Poland - goes with residence and not citizenship. However you will get some tax relief under a double tax treaty.

I think however that your life plan can work just be prepared for some hassle when you set up and don't burn your boats - make sure you have the option of moving back.

Why not just move to a cheaper part of the US ? That might give the same benefits but less risk and much easier for your business

News / Polexit? Almost half of the Poles believe that Poland would be better off outside of the EU [548]

What aspects of Christianity is the EU against ? How many times has the EU commented on the teachings of Jesus ?

News / Goodbye Sunday Shopping in Poland - Hello Electoral Reform [246]

Well judging by the traffic tonight there is going to be a big demand for psychiatrists.

Serious question Milo - have you ever spent any time in Poland ? I mean away from tourist sites ?

News / Goodbye Sunday Shopping in Poland - Hello Electoral Reform [246]

It is nothing to do with the EU - what other countries do is their choice, there is no EU law on opening hours. In this region then I think it's only Slovenia that bans Sunday trading, Hungary tried but it only lasted a year because it was so unpopular.

In Poland I think about 40 percent of people support the ban - next year there will be no Sunday's open so that number might go down.

News / Goodbye Sunday Shopping in Poland - Hello Electoral Reform [246]

But there are plenty of people who work on Sunday - police, tram drivers, waitresses, people in gas stations, mcdonalds, parking attendants, priests etc. why not give them a day off too ?

when I was younger I often worked on Sunday and it never bothered me much - was a way of putting food on the table

If you ever visited a store here you would know that at least half the weekend staff are students or Ukrainians who like the extra cash

I was just out cycling with my son - I noticed that on this niedziela handlowe every store had a full parking lot.

News / Goodbye Sunday Shopping in Poland - Hello Electoral Reform [246]

I'm extremely organized (with a z) but with work, young kids who need taking to sports and music and doctors, old relatives to look after and a farm to take care of then one extra day to go to shops is kinda nice. In the week it is almost impossible to go shopping with the whole family.

Yesterday every shop was rammed and it was bucketing with rain so all round a miserable experience. What is wrong with giving people choice ? If you want to go to church on Sunday then go. I go myself but would often go to a mall later in the day.

Law / Getting a job in Poland with a working visa - Need legal advice... [9]

The visa is specific to the employer - since you left that job you need to start from scratch or maybe find an employer who is willing to go through the process for you. It is quite a lot of effort for the employer and being as you already left one job they might be worried that you will be wasting their time.

There are others here who will give you more precise advice.

Polonia / Poland, Germany, France, Spain or Greece? [35]

I wouldn't say Sofia is a hole - I visited a few times for work and really liked it. In terms of beauty however it is certainly no better than Krakow - both are similar, an interesting Centre full of quirky cafes and interesting sites but ringed by some horrible commie era housing.

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

I recognize it - a n ugly square between a brewery and the station, a few malls and a giant stadium - it has not been an attractive town since 1944

News / Poland Parliamentary Elections 2019 [93]

This thread is about the elections in free democratic Poland - PiS won and whether you like it or not it was a democratic process. Maybe you should try that in Russia some time ?

Can we now get back to taking about that and let Rich enjoy his tram ride home

Real Estate / Buy Land in Poland and Build a House from Wood [6]

You first need to read about the restrictions on buying farmland - which apply to both Poles and foreigners. Basically you need to be a registered farmer.

For your plans you might like to buy a small plot next to a lake where it would be easier to get permission, but you will also probably have some neighbors. A wooden house is just for summer ? Winters are going to be a big problem if you want to live their year round so make sure the road is passable and you have a water supply.

News / How could PiS better spend billions instead of 500+ ? [280]

What do people think about the ZUS relief for small business - generally I am in favor, and PO had lots of chances to do that when they were in govt. on the other hand the kind of businesses it is aimed at are in my view the ones most likely to employ students and immigrants without paying thee ZUS !

Also going to create tax traps where at some point it is not worth to earn more as you will lose the ZUS benefit.

News / How could PiS better spend billions instead of 500+ ? [280]

Lots of people do go private Ironside, but part of the reason I pay my taxes on time and our very high ZUS is to have a health service that my family can use. If that is getting worse because the money has been given away to bribe voters then it will erode people's belief in the system.

News / How could PiS better spend billions instead of 500+ ? [280]

But giving money away can be done at the stroke of a pen. Reforming hospitals and schools takes years of expertise and effort and the problem is that PiS does not have a lot of smart people in its ranks who are able to do that

. Health and education have not stood still in the last 4 years, they have gone backwards - probably not easy to perceive if you live in Australia, so the government should present concrete plans for them

News / How could PiS better spend billions instead of 500+ ? [280]

Yes but there are plenty of functioning welfare states in Europe that have high taxes but deliver good levels of health and education and relatively low work weeks - Sweden, Austria, Germany etc. Not socialist but rather social democracy - Poland seems to be going down a different path of handouts rather than a contract between the citizen and the state.

News / How could PiS better spend billions instead of 500+ ? [280]

I wasn't that bothered by the first round of 500+ - I travel often in small Polish towns and know that life was very hard there for young families, the stimulus mostly went on kids things and the cost to the budget was not huge and a lot came back in VAT and retailers profits.

Now I am getting very concerned with the constant handouts - more and more, combined with shrinking the tax base by exempting people under 26 (why ?) and an early pension age.

If you are a high taxpayer and generally a liberal caring sharing person then it is easy to understand the safety net for those who need it and the need for a health service and good schools. What is more difficult to stomach is no questions asked handouts that you get basically for breathing and eventually the taxpayers will get up fed up about that. PiS did some good work to squeeze tax evasion but that is not an exhausted way of funding these promises - the only alternatives are either higher taxes or more debt and neither will end well.

News / Scandals, conflicts, tensions, arguments - real life examples from Poland [543]

Maf the irony of this is that the NIK is supposed to be the organization that supervises govt probity !

News / Scandals, conflicts, tensions, arguments - real life examples from Poland [543]

I think he read it in Pravda during the tram ride home

In fact it has almost doubled over the last 10 years - doesn't matter if its PO or PiS - Both have benefited from the economic effects of EU membership and lots of investment