Hi all! I'm new here, and I just stopped by to say hello from Poland to all users of Silver Stackers forum! Cheers!
Hi Clear! Nothing unusual, i think. Our government found a 2013 budget gap, but ensured the citizens that it has nothing to do with an attempt to take back our retirement savings from private pension funds to social insurance. Moreover, the gap's appearance actually confirms the competence of our Ministry of Finance, because most of the reputable economists didn't see that coming either. We've had some protests too, lead by the unions, so we've managed to catch up with the rest of the world. Yet another boring European country, IMO. To this end, there are no Polish silver bullion coins, so probably it's one of many reasons why I've decided to join Silver Stackers forum. Regards
Poland! Welcome to the forum! My friends enjoyed their stint at one of your universities, so I wouldn't say it's that boring!
Well, we're generally quite good in being hosts, and we do know how to party until the daylight. Especially if You'll hook up with the university students, and believe me and Your friend @Altima- i do know what i'm saying, I graduated just couple of years ago. Still, we neither have any revolution currently, nor any other extraordinary events, so we keep working hard and complaining about almost anything, just as we used to for ages. It's routine, that's why i describe my country as a boring one. Nevertheless, as Chinese used to say "It's better to be a dog in a peaceful time than be a man in a chaotic period", therefore I'd loved to being bored until I kick the bucket. Sorry for spreading out some stereotypes here, but these are fairly true ones actually. Regards (or in Polish: Pozdrawiam:])
Hello and dzien dobry! Gdansk is my hometown, I was born and raised there, but i do not live there anymore for couple of years now. It's one of the oldest (the earliest written record of the city is from 999) and one of the most beautiful Polish cities, famous of shipyard's workers' strikes on August 1980 led by Lech Walesa and other dissidents, and accordingly for being a hometown of Solidarity trade union (Solidarnosc in Polish). Regards
Has the government actually nationalised Poland's private pensions yet or are they still in the process of attempting this? I can't help but wonder if the Polish government is successful in taking citizen's retirement savings and there is no revolt by the Polish people that other government's across Europe and other parts of the world will see this as an opportunity to try the same thing? What options are there for Polish people in regards to self managed pension funds which could perhaps be out of reach for the Polish government e.g coverting retirement savings into gold and silver so that it can't be so easily seized?
Currently, 7.3% of the mandatory insurance premium goes to the private pensions' funds. The funds were obliged to invest some part of this premium in bonds, yet the rest could have been invested in anything else (usually listed shares). Starting from 2014, the funds will be given 2.3% (ultimately 3.5%, because the rate will increase in the following years) of the mandatory insurance premium, and will no longer be able to invest in bonds. Moreover, all of the previous bonds held by the private pensions funds will be transferred to the social insurance (sic!). The only decision left to the citizens, will be to either resign from private funds and pay the whole premium to social insurance, or keep the 2.3% of Your premium's there. You will be able to make up Your mind every 2-3 years. Obviously, this concerns the mandatory insurance premium only. If You have some extra money, You can always buy an additional retirement policy or do whathever You want to save up. Unfortunately, most of the Polish people cannot afford any of the additional possibilities to start and keep saving for retirement. Just mind, that our monthly minimal wage (full-time work) is 404.19 AUD, while the monthly average wage is 928.53 AUD. Regards
Welcome to the forums Love the designs for some of your local stuff, especially this: http://www.mennica.com.pl/en/media/news/article/zobacz/the-third-side-of-the-coin.html
@wladek - Witam Krajana! Thank You all! @alor - as we can see, You've already had at least one piece earlier, but You're totally correct. @Midnight Man - Fortuna Redux...masterpiece IMO. We also had some of our own, like the 2011 "International Prize Vicenza Numismatica" winner: Source: http://www.polskieradio.pl/e6a29b7d-3e98-41a8-a90e-9f4ad7b7c875.file (however, i find this prize a bit controversial, cause we had some better ones imo). Regardless of these beauties or beauty and "beauty", we still do not have any silver bullion coin of our own...only a golden one: Source: http://inwestycje.mennica.com.pl/orzel-bielik-1-t-oz/ And that's one of many reasons, why I like Your (and mine as well ) silver Kookaburras very much. Regards
