Above: President Bronisław Komorowski responding to comments made by representatives of 13 foreign chambers of commerce in Poland. Speaking for the British-Polish chamber, I made three points - trade between the UK and Poland is growing wonderfully, quadrupling in value since Poland joined the EU, but that inward investment from the UK to Poland is held being back by perceived bureaucratic barriers - Poland should be an easier place to do business. And, echoing calls from several other chambers, I told the president that Poland's public procurement process should be more transparent and open.President Komorowski said that further deregulation was necessary. Earlier this month, he'd signed a law replacing the need for a zaświadczenie with a simple oświadczenie. Confused? Until now, you needed a piece of paper from a relevant authority, stamped and signed, to prove that white is not black. Now, you can simply write your own statement to that effect. This is seen as a huge step forward in cutting unnecessary red tape. Welcome though this be, much more is still needed - something that President Komorowski said he fully accepted.
Above: on the terrace behind the Belweder palace. President Komorowski has chosen to reside here rather than in the presidential palace on Krakowskie Przedmieście, where his predecessor lived.A good move, given the extreme emotions of the 'Defenders of the Cross' who still hang out there. To a vocal minority of Poles, President Komorowski will always be Satan incarnate, the Butcher of Smolensk, a tool of Muscovy and a servant of Israel. Such extreme views are not heaped upon the British head of state, which brings me on to Friday's big event - the celebration of the Royal Wedding at the Intercontinental Hotel, but that will be another post...
In the meanwhile, my personal reflections about the benefits of a monarch and Royal Family.
UPDATE: The Royal Wedding has come and gone; despite the greatness of the day, I cannot muster any retrospective enthusiasm to blog it.
This time two years ago:
Time to get cycling to work
This time four years ago:
Why I'm staying put in Poland
This time four years ago:
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1 comment:
Please ask him next time to get rid of the ludicrous requirements for businesses to register cash registers, file monthly tax returns and stick flimsy, registered bits of paper (banderole) on all bottles of alcohol before they cross the Polish border. Oh, allowing people to start food businesses from home (and not requiring them to invest thousands of zloty on kitting out full commercial kitchens)would also do wonders for the country's tax receipts.
Hurrumph.
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