Polonopedia | Poland Today 🇵🇱

Poland celebrates today Constitution Day— which was adopted on the 3rd of May 1791 It is considered to be the First modern Constitution and the Second in the World (after the USA). The aim of the Constitution of 3 May 1791 was to strengthen the weakening Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth by reforming its political system, reducing the power of the nobility, and creating a more stable, modern government based on constitutional principles to prevent foreign interference and national decline.

Poland (pop. ~38mln) has half the crimes and offenses of the region surrounding Paris, Île-de-France (pop. ~12mln) Number crimes and offenses: Poland: ~435 000 Paris region: ~820 000 Meaning the Paris region has 1/3 of Poland’s population and yet it has double the crimes and offenses.

5 highest rape rates in Europe: 🇬🇧 UK 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇫🇷 France 🇫🇮 Finland 🇧🇪 Belgium 5 lowest rape rates in Europe: 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇵🇱 Poland 🇸🇰 Slovakia 🇬🇷 Greece 🇱🇹 Lithuania Via @polonopedia

@denisyurchak Poland was built by Poles for Poles and wouldn’t mind a small minority of other European citizens who can behave, respect Polish culture, who are willing to learn Polish, who pay taxes and can help our economy thrive.

MOVING TO POLAND IS A TERRIBLE CHOICE FOR 95% OF PEOPLE Poland is the fastest-growing economy in the EU. It’s modern and has world-class services. But people who overhype it don’t tell you one thing - if you don’t have an EU passport (and 95% of people in the world don’t have one), Poland is gonna turn your life into a living hell. The reason for it is not its people or nationalism. The reason is bureaucracy. Poland wasn’t built to host a lot of foreigners. For the best part of its history after communism, it’s been a poor country, and hardly anyone wanted to move there. Then the Ukraine war happened. Millions of Ukrainians and Belarusians flew into the country. Poland’s immigration authorities became overwhelmed. 4 years flew by, but the situation didn’t improve. When you move to Poland, you need to get a temporary residence permit. It lasts between 1 and 3 years. Getting it now is not feasible. The wait for a Polish temporary residence permit is between 8 and 12 months. In most cases, you get your first residence permit, called pobyt czasowy, for a year. Then you need to renew it. You will need a long-term apartment in Poland and a source of income in Poland. Your company’s registered in the US or Singapore won’t do. After 3 years, you can get a pobyt stały (permanent residency) - and wait 12 months again. The situation is better in some regions like Krakow, but in Warsaw, where most people go, it’s the worst. While you are waiting for your residence permit, you can’t leave Poland. If you leave after your visa-free days in the EU or your visa expires, you won’t be able to come back without a Schengen visa. To get a residence permit, you need to file an application. This requires either sending all your documents by traditional mail or scheduling an appointment. Getting an appointment takes 8+ months. You have a question? Get ready to wait up to an hour in the telephone queue. Hardly any immigration workers speak English. Most government websites and documents are in Polish only as well. There is a new system where you can file an application online. But using it requires a government ID number called PESEL. You can get it in Poland, but it requires a Polish address. Alternatively, you can convince Polish authorities that you have a valid reason why you need a PESEL. This typically requires employment or business. Both will have real consequences for your life and potentially make you liable for Polish taxes and health insurance contributions. This is what US and UK founders get wrong – you can’t just come to Poland with your online business and live here. Poland doesn’t have digital nomad or independent entrepreneur visas. In Poland, you need a visa sponsor. That means that you either need to find a regular Polish job and employer that will sponsor you or found a company with substantial capital, employees, and real service to sponsor yourself as a director. Want to start a company? All the tax and company registration portals are in Polish. Getting a Polish accountant and tax advisor will be your only option. The situation is not likely to improve in the future. The Polish politics are dominated by right-wing anti-immigration sentiment. Under the right-wing influence, even the center-left are introducing laws that make it harder to immigrate and get a Polish citizenship. For everybody cheering for anti-immigration and thinking it only applies to the people from the Middle East and India, bad news. If you have a UK or US passport, you will fall under the same rules. Some categories of people, mainly people with Polish roots, will have it much easier. But for most people without an EU passport, moving to Poland will turn into the toughest bureaucratic challenge of their lives.

@denisyurchak Sometimes it costs more expensive to have a Polish speaking Bolt unfortunately. It should not be this way but the same price for both Polish speaking Bolts and non Polish speaking. Or even better, have a required minimum level of Polish language.

In Polish Bolt you can filter for Polish-speaking drivers when ordering a taxi Hard to imagine something like this in Western Europe

A Polish citizen sentenced to 18 years in a Belarusian prison reveals he was considered for a prisoner swap with Andrzej Poczobut. His account sheds light on the brutal reality of political repression and the human cost behind geopolitical games.

Russia's communist party leader Gennady Zyuganov warns a "1917 style revolution" could happen if the government does not meet the financial and economical measures. Zyuganov was careful to not blame Putin, likely by fear of getting arrested- but instead blaimed the central bank and the ruling party.

🇵🇱 Polish fintech ZEN.com—whose supervisory board includes former president Andrzej Duda—has acquired Ukraine’s PINbank for €3.6M. The bank was previously seized from Russian oligarch Yevgeny Giner after the 2023 asset confiscations. ZEN plans to invest €20M to turn it into a digital, cross-border lender. A slap in the face to Russia by Poland's former president who has always stood against Russian imperialism.

🇵🇱 US aerospace firm Pratt & Whitney will invest $100 Million to expand its factory in Rzeszów, creating 140 jobs. The new facility will produce advanced components for military and civilian aircraft engines, with completion planned for 2028. The project is part of parent company RTX Corporation’s $300 Million global investment program.

🇪🇺 The European Parliament’s legal affairs committee has backed lifting the immunity of Polish MEPs Grzegorz Braun, Daniel Obajtek, Tomasz Buczek and Patryk Jaki. The move, supported by a strong majority, paves the way for a final vote next week in Strasbourg that could allow legal proceedings in Poland. Committee members say the cases are criminal, not political—but some PiS politicians dispute that claim.

The EU has approved a €90 Billion loan for Ukraine along with a new sanction package for Russia. The aim of the loan is to support Ukraine's finances for 2026-2027 which has been held up by Hungary, but is now gaining momentum after the Fidesz government was defeated.

@JenevaFMRadio Uhmm… no thank you. Germany tried to wipe out our entire nation for centuries. If they would have complete control over us now, why would it be any different?

Polen und Germeny one country idea. Chancellor Tusk. Superpower.

@RepDonBacon Russia is a rusty empire

Russia claims to be a superpower. Yet, 25% of Russians don’t have indoor toilets. They’re 70 years behind America.

@trad_west_ Poland saves lives! ❤️🇵🇱

>Be Polish Catholic priest >Late 19th-century anarchists keep assassinating people >"Hold my rosary" >Invents a bulletproof vest >Needs to prove it actually works >Puts the vest on himself and tells a guy to shoot him point-blank >Tanks a revolver round without flinching >Farm aura for generations to come >Refuse to elaborate >Leaves

Following this unusual pizzeria traffic near the pentagon: The US ambassador to Israel was urgently instructed to return to Washington for further consultations at the White House. Trump announced he was asked to postpone his attack on Iran until its leaders and representatives could propose a unified proposal. And the S&P500 dropped about 0.5%.

Various pizzerias nearby the Pentagon are reporting above average traffic. As of 4:14pm ET

Thousands of people, including Poland’s conservative president Karol Nawrocki, took part in the National March for Life in Warsaw on the 19th of March. The march—one of the largest pro-life gatherings in Europe—was held under the slogan “Faith and Fidelity 966–2026,” marking the 1,060th anniversary of the Baptism of Poland, when Poland’s first ruler, Prince Mieszko I, was baptized. Nawrocki described the march as “a beautiful initiative that shows how evil can be overcome with good.” “Today, the answer to many of Poland’s challenges lies in Polish families, in our identity, and in remembering where we come from and where we are going,” he said. 🇵🇱

Poland’s foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, has clashed with Israel’s top diplomat, Gideon Sa’ar, after raising concerns about the conduct and training of Israeli troops. His remarks followed an incident in which an Israeli soldier was seen vandalizing a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon. Sikorski’s comments drew sharp criticism from Sa’ar, particularly after the Polish minister suggested that Israeli soldiers had acknowledged involvement in war crimes. The diplomatic dispute erupted after images circulated showing an Israeli soldier smashing a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer, sparking international outrage. 🇵🇱🇮🇱

@OficjalneZero @tvp_info PM of Poland Donald Tusk yesterday said: "Poland's defense cooperation with France has no limits." This was said on the occasion of the France-Poland Friendship Day as Macron comes for a state visit in Gdańsk. 🇵🇱🇫🇷

Prezydent Francji Emmanuel Macron z oficjalną wizytą w Polsce. Polsko-francuski szczyt w Gdańsku. ⤵️ Źródło: @tvp_info

Europe ramps up drone cooperation with Ukraine — and the Kremlin isn’t happy. Russia now claims this support means deeper European involvement in the war, even hinting that drone-related sites across Europe could be seen as “potential targets.” At the same time, drones are becoming the backbone of modern warfare in Ukraine — from surveillance to precision strikes.

Today Poland marks its 1060th anniversary of its Christian baptism 🇵🇱✝️

Poland will not support fast-tracking Ukraine’s entry into the European Union, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said in an interview with RMF FM. He stressed that Ukraine must meet all the established criteria for EU membership. “We believe Ukraine should meet all the requirements, just as we did,” he added. 🇵🇱🇺🇦