Genealogy / Polish & Prussian/German town name cross-reference. [100]

Could be Slocin in Wielkopolskie - German name Vorwalden which would be pronounced as though the V were an F. But there are probably other places with the same name in present day Germany (it means "before the forests").

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]

Yeah great - Farage has run away and is working on a radio show, his party has all but collapsed and his Brexit is costing his voters thousands of pounds already. Not that he cares about them - in this video he mocks small time bank clerks but those are precisely the sort of hard working people that he managed to con.

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]

@TheOther
It is obviously the case that the trade benefits and the subsequent increase in opportunities for Polish business, employment, tax base, economic stability are far greater than the actual amount of the cash recieved.

Sadly that is not obvious to people who see this as a zero sum game and advocate leaving as soon as the EU stops handing us money. None of those posters here were in Poland pre 2004 and have an idea of what it was like in those days. They should watch some of the reruns of M Jak Milosc that TVP is running at breakfast time - see what people wore, drove and ate before the EU and what their houses and streets looked like,.its the best advert for the EU on TV.

The same story in Britain - I read a series of interviews with leavers this weekend and the uneducated ones they still cite the UKs cash contribution as a big reason for leaving, even though Brexit is already costing them 3x the amount of the cash contributed.

But it's difficult to make that case when levels of education are low and attention spans even lower.

Law / Probate laws in Poland - banking data access and money transfer [6]

If he is compus mentus enough to give the details then can he maybe make a transfer while he is still alive ? Would still potentially be gift tax payable but would be quicker, create some facts on the ground, better cash flow and definitely save lawyers fees.

But using his passwords etc is very ill advised

Work / What is the average accounting/auditing salary in Poland? [42]

Not sure what kind of role you are in but if its booking, bank recs etc then thats about right. If its something more complicated like reporting or consolidation then with French i think 10k would be more like it.

Certainly it would not be 14-15k - for that price i would employ a smart Pole and teach them French

There is a huge shortage worldwide of French soeaking accountants at senior levels but not sure what tyoe of work you are doing.

Real Estate / Expatriate mortgages + Property in Poland [24]

I dont think its illegal but just goes against the knf rules - and following the rules is a pre-requisite for keeping your banking license.

Of course if you want a loan to buy a shopping mall or an airport then EUR loans are available !

If buying a house then maybe wait for PolishInvestor to comment but my view is they are very illiquid- most people who can afford one like to build to their own spec which usually means too many bathrooms and a huge ugly fence

Real Estate / Expatriate mortgages + Property in Poland [24]

You will find it almost impossible to get either a PLN mortgage or term loan if neither of you earn in zloty.

An important reason for this is that banking regulation forces the banks to make 100 percent, sometimes 150 percent provision in their books when such a loan is issued. So for the guy issuing the loan, there is no motivation as he will not show any profit for the year.

Your best bet might be to buy a smaller flat for cash and trade up when you are more established and earning in PLN.

Note also that as a non EU citizen buying a house still might require a permit (for flatsit does not). You could buy in your girlfriends name but the normal risks apply and it might be an idea to put a ring on it if you are serious.

If you go for a house be very clear that all media are connected and working and be wary about buying sonewhere with no asphalt road - it can take many years for new roads to be finished and a decade down the line you might be taking your kids to school on a bumpy track that makes you nostalgic for Somalia !

News / Abortion still under control in Poland [2971]

Since you mock "retards" in every post I dont think you are in a position to lecture about empathy for the disabled.

News / Abortion still under control in Poland [2971]

Kaczynski has no family of his own and thus zero empathy for these situations.

History / WWII - who really was the first to help Poland? [901]

Yes you could ask WWIi survivors if the Nazis were better than the Soviets but you cant ask the massacred school teachers of Bydgoszcz or the hospital patients of Koscian wheeled out on to the street to be shot by the SS.

Its really a bit trite to talk about the lesser of two evils - it was a crazy time in history when dictatorship was seen as preferable to democracy. That is why the current wave of mini Putins is so dangerous

History / WWII - who really was the first to help Poland? [901]

Mass killings of Polish intellectuals and hospital patients by the Nazis started in September 1939. The number of victims is higher than Katyn but in any case it is not about numbers but about sick ideology of totalitarian rulers and their willing followers.

The last people who witnessed those events will all be dead in 5-10 years. After that it will probably be open season on the truth (as it is now with the Armenian genocide.

Work / The big step: moving to Warsaw and taking everything with me to Poland [4]

Someone else can answer the rest of your questions but re your limited company then you cannot convert the Belgian entity into a Polish entity. You would have to liquidate it and then start a new Polish entity, which given the small scale of the business seems a big hassle.

You would pay Belgium corporate income tax on your companies earnings, and then tax on any dividends you pay to yourself would attract Polish tax of 19 percent.

Work / Business ideas for Poland [63]

The average Pole spends 100 zloty a month on clothes or shoes - im not sure you could even get a pair of socks for that price in Armani.

The number of high earners outside Warsaw is not enough to sustain designer shops yet - people who have that kind of wealth are not flainting it either at the moment

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]

She was not pardoned because she was never convicted of anything. comey closed the investigation.

Why do you keep turning this back to Hillary Clinton ? she is not in office and most Poles dont care either way about her. If shes guily then lock her up.

What we do care about is our most important ally being run by a man with the attention span of a 5 year old.

Work / Studies In Poland, is it easy to survive on part-time jobs? [259]

I have two modern furnished apartments and used to have another - i never rented any for more than 1800 zloty. I doubt Wroclaw would have much higher prices

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]

Clinton is yesterday's news. Put her on trial and lock her up if shes guilty.

But Trump is the person in the post now. Obviously he is mentally unstable- question is whether he is also a crook or merely a dupe of Putin ?

Love / I want to bring her here but not her son. [9]

How could your girlfriend truly love domeone so selfish ? Do you think raising a kid only involves paying for their upkeep ?

Get married and there will be no delay in thr paperwork

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

I think its now 8 years since Labour was in power. Surely its the current government who has the duty to look after its Jewish citizens ?

Life / So I found out the guy I was prepping myself to fight in Warsaw [19]

You didnt pay to get in ? Thats probably why he got upset. Anyway good luck fighting them - I've been there before and they do not look people I would take on.

Next time go to the bathroom in Luzztro next door - its only 10 zloty to get in, open all night and a favorite place for Legia fans to let their hair down.

Life / Play.pl and mobile data limit [3]

You can get data top ups also in Zabka, Kolporter, Carrefour etc. Not today though - everything is shut

Travel / Suggestion for nightlife in Poland [28]

1 Bucharest or in summer Mamaia. In Poland I would say Warsaw or Sopot but all the big towns are ok
2 yes
3 compared to Britain yes
4 yes
5 much cheaper than Britain. Bucharest and Warsaw can get quite pricey but if you are used to London prices don't worry
6 don't know - both at good for a trip
7 probably Nowhere - but some Croat resorts are going that way
8 your choice

News / Americans incite hatred towards Russia in Polish media [75]

Maybe tell us what there is to admire in Russia today and why we are wrong ? I don't mean Turgenev or Anna Pavlova but rather good things about Russia right now.

Work / English speaking Tax accountant in Warsaw [6]

There are plenty of small private accountants so just google ones near your apartment . You would struggle to find anyone for less than 250 in central Warsaw. Add in the requirement for English and the 400;is probably right.700 is probably a rate given by someone who is already busy and only wants clients who pay well. If they get to know you are an easy client and pay on time they will probably drop the cost a bit after a year or so.

You don't need to hire an accountant - you could do it yourself. If you think professionals are expensive then try amateurs.

Work / How is the job opportunities in Poland for my competencies? I am delivering business coaching services. [9]

Unless you can deliver that service in Polish it is a terrible and unworkable idea.

News / Jesus Christ is Now Officially the King of Poland [164]

Along with Japan and Oz/NZ It has the highest living standards and most equal societies on the globe. Good wine, good beer too.

Work / What is the average accounting/auditing salary in Poland? [42]

Well if you were qualified that would make a work permit far easier. Probably you should check with some recruiters. Without being qualified you would probably earn around 6000 zloty and a gym membership.

Life / ZUS / NFZ / Compulsory Health Insurance in Poland - where the money come to/from? [29]

I'm not just counting ZUS but all the other things that are local but could be central - tax, customs,sanepid, driving licences, road admin etc. I think the number probably does run into a few hundred k. I agree that it's a waste of money but I don't think those people have luxurious lives.

Life / ZUS / NFZ / Compulsory Health Insurance in Poland - where the money come to/from? [29]

No I am being serious so pour yourself another brandy and chill out :)

You would cut some overheads, but create hundreds of thousands of new unemployed people. As I've said before these people are not mobile and past the age where they are able to re-train, often having burdensome family commitments, starting to get ill as they get older etc.

Unemployment is one of the most dangerous and corrosive forces in society. During shock therapy it was often a model that the man of the house would be fired from a truly uneconomical factory but at least his wife was able to earn a few Zloty pen pushing in some local office.

There is more to life sometimes than dollars and cents, you have to keep people busy and engaged with the community.

Now probably is the time that they can start to rationalise, many towns are close to full employment and technology is becoming cheaper.

Life / ZUS / NFZ / Compulsory Health Insurance in Poland - where the money come to/from? [29]

Doug Regarding the people in local bureaucracies you are right in principle, but there is no other solution for those people at the moment.

they are often quite old, not able to retrain all learn languages and not mobile - many of them double as nannies for their grandchildren. The problem will resolve itself in a few years - meanwhile those are the people who really were often on the streets opposing communism, queueing for bread, and bring up kids in the most difficult of circumstances in the 80s

Life / ZUS / NFZ / Compulsory Health Insurance in Poland - where the money come to/from? [29]

ZUS is not part of the general budget and we are repeatedly told it is a contributory system, not a tax.