EDITORIAL : THE NEW POLAND EXPRESS, POLAND

Steve Sibbald's Column:

There’s been lots written in this publication regarding next year’s EURO 2012 footy tournament - not all of it positive.

Like most fans I’m relishing the chance of watching some of the game’s biggest names performing on my doorstep, even if (like every single person I know) my ticket application was returned unsuccessful. Hmm, something going on in the corridors of power methinks, but that’s a different story for another day.

Given Poland’s new-found reputation as a “lad’s jolly” destination, many heading here next year will be eyeing up the opportunity to not only catch a game or two (if anyone actually managed to get tickets) but to dip into the more, let’s say, salacious side of things.

The reason I mention this is the report this week on Gazeta.pl about an apartment block in Katowice which plays host to around 50 escort agencies. That’s right 50.

Now to suggest that all those football fans descending on Poland will be searching for the seedier entertainment on offer would be ludicrous. But pretending it won’t happen would be to bury your head in the sand.

Regardless of your opinion on legalising prostitution, surely nobody can argue that having 50 agencies, and the type of people associated with them, in one building is either healthy or safe for the families living close by.

The only way to begin eradicating this kind of situation and make the industry safer for the women and punters involved is to give the red light district the green light and allow it to be officially regulated.

Such a move will not solve all the problem associated with the world of prostitution, but it will provide it with a higher success rate than Fabio Capello’s men will ever have.

Craig Turp's Column:

Judging by the reaction amongst Warsaw’s people in the know this week, last Saturday’s stand-up comedy night at the Warsaw Tortilla Factory can be considered a great success. Speaking to a few people who couldn’t make it, they appeared genuinely gutted at having missed out. Word of what a great night it was spread quickly, it seems, which is a relief. It is always a little unnerving staging something new, not knowing if people will come and then - when they do - wondering if they will like it. We needn’t have worried. Three good comedians (who else thought the young New Zealander Javier Jarquin stole the show?) made it a terrific night and we hope to bring you more in the very near future. (And not just in Warsaw, either: stand by for news on English comedy gigs in other parts of Poland too).
From our side it was good to meet so many NPE readers, and to hear their not always diplomatic but certainly bang-on-the-money ideas as to how we might do things differently...



Changing the subject entirely, a good few years ago now we got ourselves an education at (what was then) one of the world’s smallest universities: The School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies, or SSEES for short. Now part of University College London, my alma mater this week made time wasting in the office just that little bit easier: it put its document archive online. You can find it at ssees.ucl.ac.uk/library, and believe me: if you find old maps, travel books and such like fascinating then you will want to cancel your appointments for the rest of the day. ‘A New and Accurate Map of Poland’ from 1782 particularly took our fancy, as did John Richard’s 1780 account of A Trip from London to Petersburg which took him through Poland. On arriving in Dantzig (his spelling) he writes ‘the locals are hospitable and the women agreeable. The city swarms with ladies of easy virtue, although the consequence of intriguing is attended with much expense and trouble.’

Ross Naylor's Column:

There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding the payment of National Insurance Contributions and the benefits of the state pension for UK Expats.

What I want to achieve with this column therefore, is to give you an idea of the basic facts regarding the basic state pension and the necessary steps that you would need to take, should you want to make contributions on a voluntary basis and/or make up missed payments.

Armed with this information, you will then be in a position to make an educated decision on how to proceed.
Basic Facts:

To achieve a full basic state pension you need to have achieved a certain number of qualifying years. A qualifying year is a year where one of the following applies:

• you have sufficient income to pay National Insurance Contributions


• you are treated as having paid National Insurance Contributions


• you are credited with enough National Insurance Contributions

If you are a man born after the 6th of April 1945 or a woman born after the 6th of April 1950, then you need to achieve a total of 30 qualifying years in order to achieve the full basic state pension.

For tax year 2011/2012, the full basic state pension will be GBP102.15 per week. This will increase annually by the highest of prices, earnings or 2.5 percent.

If you have less than 30 qualifying years, your pension will be reduced on a pro rata basis. E.g. if you only had 15 years, you would get GBP51.08 per week (15/30 = 50% of GBP102.15).

Step 1 – Find out where you are now.

Your first step should be to contact the state pension forecasting team in Newcastle and ask for a pension forecast.