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

Yes it is growing at higher rate but it is insignificant compared to EU trade and it would take many years of that level of growth in order to catch up.

Polish workers and exporters cannot eat percentages - in the meantime the EU will be the growth engine of the Polish economy. I know it's hard to tell from your bedroom in Chicago but Poles have never had stability and living standards like they have had since 2004.

If a party like Konfederacja wants to leave the EU they should plaster that all over their website - in fact there is not a single mention of it. Almost all Poles know the EU is positive for Poland and these bow tie wearing eccentrics don't want to lose any of the votes they need to make the 5 percent.

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

But Romania and Bulgaria are getting suddenly richer and are subsequently increasing exports quicker

As for Poland's trade you have simply no idea what you ar3 talking about and the only things nag your links prove are the declining standards of Ivy League education

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

Poland did vote for him in his first term

In the second term the other 27 countries voted for him, rather than the alternative candidate of the Polish government - a little known MEP who was suggested for a job that normally goes to a senior politician

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

So they want to keep the parts of the EU that they like without any of the responsibilities ? Ask the Uk how that is working out for them

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

Does that one minute video say if they want to leave the EU ? If they did then I missed it. In fact all I heard was a string of rhetorical provocative questions rather than any policy positions. Pathetic but what can you expect from people who have never had to take any responsibility.

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

God knows what they are teaching you at your Ivy League university.

In 1995 then Poland was already on the track to EU membership - so EU countires became more confident about investing and trading there. The zloty stabilized, the political situation stabilized and NATO membership was already decided.

Compare the situation and the trading relationships of non EU countries - Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, Bosnia, Belarus etc. and compare how they have been outstripped since 2004 by those countires that joined the EU.

Trade with China is very small compared to trade with the EU.

Anyway as I understand Konfederacja of Dunces wants to leave the EU so anybody who thinks that is a good idea has a clear choice next weekend.

By the way on checking their website I am not even sure what their position is on EU membership - I see a line up of about 20 whackjobs in cravats, pocket squares and bow ties, a few videos about Israel and Migration but no clear list of what they believe in.

Also a piece about defending the traditional family, ironic indeed coming from a home wrecker like Korwin

Life / Child abuse in Poland [64]

It's certainly not unreported - there are stories in the papers or on TV most days and the biggest film of last year dealt with the issue. It will however take years for the full story to emerge - the current govt is heavily intertwined with the church but previous governments also did not do much to address the allegations

There is a new documentary on YouTube - been up for a few hours and was already watched by more than a million people.

News / Should Polonia and expat Poles lose voting rights in Polish elections? [85]

The Poles in Chicago already can vote - most dont want to or cant be bothered.

It's different to the Hungarians in Romania and Serbia and Slovakia - they speak Hungarian at home and have a lot of commercial and cultural connections with Budapest.

News / Should Polonia and expat Poles lose voting rights in Polish elections? [85]

Maybe one solution is that you can vote so long as you were 18 when you left Poland and every 10 years you have to reregister and pay some fee. The fee would be used to cover the costs of running the election

News / Should Polonia and expat Poles lose voting rights in Polish elections? [85]

The numbers are quite small so I never get upset about it - most of my US family don't vote and the Polish family I have in the UK have never even mentioned it.

I think there should be some kind of qualification - e.g. you lose it after 20 years, or you have to pay some one off community tax - say a few hundred dollars, or treat you would be eligible for military reserve etc.

I quite like the Italian system where there are a couple of MPs who represent the diaspora- and I think they cannot vote on certain domestic issues.

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

Stupid laws about tobacco. Data protection etc - there are many small downsides

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

She never said that. Whete i can find that quote when googling it is normally only on right wing websites

And even then someone has swapped EU for unified Europe. The EU was called thr EC in her time as leader.

Someone has also inserted the word socialist there. In the 80s the EC was not considered a socialist project

And finally who cares what she said - like most long serving leaders she had some good ideas and some bad ideas

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

Nonsense - they pay plenty of tax in Poland and certainly way more than Polish retailers. Biedonka, Rossman, Auchan are all in the top 20 taxpayers in Poland.

There is no Tesco in Germany but there is Auchan in Italy, Carrefour in Greece, Spain and Belgium, Netto in Germany, ikea and Lidl everywhere. Supermarkets will expans wherever customers want them.

There are many Polish owned retailers.

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

No you would not have an automatic right before the EU. You would need work permit, invitation, marketable skills and a whole bunch of queueing and extra costs. I have plenty of marketable skills but I couldn't just pitch up in Australia or Canada say and start working with no questions asked - And neither can you

You probably don't remember those times, Which is a challenge for the EU - it needs to market how successful it has been in creating mobility for people like you

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

If you are a British taxpayer then you are paying about 320 quid a year.

For that you get the right to work there or any of the other 27 countries, no rip-off bank charges when you send your money home, no rip-off roaming charges, cheap flights to Poland, transfer ability of your social benefits, a common set of standards for whatever industry you work in and probably a new playground and swingset for your relatives in the old country.

Its not a bad deal Spike

Law / How does a US & Polish citizen obtain a Polish bank account? (Without residency in Poland) [4]

It depends ob the bank so check each bank. Mbank used to be more lenient but that was several years ago. Most will require at least a PESEL.

There is no reason to do it five years in advance - it will be much simpler and cheaper to do it once you are here and have your meldunek

Genealogy / Which Polish first names are considered unpopular / obsolete in Poland? [124]

For Main Street then if I am going to a small town and want to find the center I normally put Pilsudskiego in my GPS and it will always be either the town square or one of the main streets. Other small town street names you get everywhere Koscielna, Dworcowa, Targowa (church st, station st, market st) or named after writers / composers - Slowackiego, Paderewskiego, Sienkiewicza, Moniuszki etc.

Study / Various education and school issues in Poland. Opinions, stories, controversies. [1006]

Where it has been applies it has typically led to a large number of teachers leaving the profession - especially in maths and science whi feel undervalued and insulted, The result that the remaining teachers have far more negotiating power and end ip eith higher salariea

So ironically a perfect demonstration of the free market !

Study / Various education and school issues in Poland. Opinions, stories, controversies. [1006]

Johnny your quote about people whi cant do becoming teachers is absolute nonsense - I have had plenty of dedicated and wise teachers who I am sure would prosper in professional life, or the military, or whatever calling they wanted to follow

There are some people who value bringing on kids and contributing to society more than money. It is far from an easy job

Study / Various education and school issues in Poland. Opinions, stories, controversies. [1006]

Who would have thought it ?

Some uneducated people dont value educators

Cue some nonsense about thr Ivy League

Life / Owning a house in true countryside of Poland - stories [692]

Is there some English translation of this series Maf ?

Study / SGH Warsaw School of Economics vs Kozminski University vs Warsaw University [18]

Kozminski is a far more modern institution and more set up for international business. SGH has a long standing reputation dating back to before 89 and has lots of graduates in senior positions in politics but less so in business.

kozminski has good links with the business world and might have more possibilities in English. Really you should check out their facilities and teachers and then make a choice

Law / Cajun from Louisiana state seeking refuge/new life in Poland? Wishing to become Polish (is it possible?) [34]

Yes - which i noted un my post because Indians are cheaper than Poles

Law / Cajun from Louisiana state seeking refuge/new life in Poland? Wishing to become Polish (is it possible?) [34]

I would say the opposite - few companies are going to go out on a limb to arrange a work permit for someone who does not speak Polish unless you have a serious specialism or are a lower cost alternative to locsl workers.

You can always try but your opening gambit at interviews about wanting to live in a white anti immigrant society is probably not going to help

So you have your advice and good luck. I am sure you will now hang around for a few weeks to provide your wisdom on muslims and other people who offend you

Law / Cajun from Louisiana state seeking refuge/new life in Poland? Wishing to become Polish (is it possible?) [34]

I think you are yet another troll following a pattern - that their home country is decadent and they want to move to a reactionary paradise called Poland.

If not then one piece of advice - If catholicism is your main reason to move i would suggest somewhere more devout like Philippines or Ivory Coast.

About 50 percent of people go regularly to church but at least half of them are like me - just to give some structure to the weekend and keep older family happy.

I would say 25 percent of Poles are serious believers but that is also the 25 percent who are least able to speak English.

Law / Cajun from Louisiana state seeking refuge/new life in Poland? Wishing to become Polish (is it possible?) [34]

Maybe Russia would be nice ?

There are a few Russians here who can give you the lowdown

Travel / Pot in Poland for tourists [285]

Not A big stretch of the imagination for you - you come from a country that contaminates tea and perfume to kill people you don't like

News / Poland and USA vs Iran and the EU [38]

But even America does not share its nuclear know how with Poland - probably wise move given the amount of Russian influence in the MON at the moment.

News / Poland and USA vs Iran and the EU [38]

But they signed up to this at the instigation if the US govt. now that some other moron is in office they have to unsigned ? And what happens if the next guy wants them to re-enter the agreement.

Trump is the self proclaimed best deal maker in the world but this is an other example of how rubbish he is.

News / Poland and USA vs Iran and the EU [38]

I meant why not have it in a forest or a mountain spa ? Or even how about Israel ? Or somewhere else in the Middle East. That would make more sense. Would also be cheaper for the Israeli taxpayer - there must have been a few hundred penpushers, soldiers and security men in my hotel.