Talking about Poland and Going to Jail for 50 Dollar Printer at Home...

[Forester]

Just my 2 cents...

Estonia for IT-related, Latvia for fintech.

You mean probably Lithuania, not Latvia, don't you?

At least that was the way a few years ago.

Yes, a few years ago. Nowadays, at least fintech in LT is a bad option.

Poland is OK if you need to work with local market, otherwise it's not the friendliest jurisdiction and you will have troubles finding English-speaking employees. Poland is a relatively big country with strongish local market, so while it benefits local SMBs it also affects the mentality - people refuse to think globally, refuse to learn other languages and generally tend to isolationism. Which also makes it safer and nicer country to visit or stay for a while.

I am in a similar situation. I already lived in Poland few years in the past. Except the cold winters, I loved it. I never see anything better matching my lifestyle in EU for now. Much better than 'western EU'. Cheaper, nice people, lots of services and amenities and english is widely spoken (better than in the west). Poland the last few years is not the Poland of the past anymore. Many people start to notice it.
Strong economy, will be the 1st army of EU soon, great infrastructure etc.

I am just worried in the future, they might somehow change their mind retrospectively ...

I find the accounting + ZUS expensive though.

I have completely opposite experience. But I do like if most of people believe that

I think both of you are right, in the specific way. From my personal perspective, Poland is definitely not uniform, on the contrary. E.g. for rural regions, @manukahoney is right almost perfectly; in bigger cities, @dziter 's experience is well valid.
(BTW, this is not exceptional in the world at all.)

Generally, as far the business environment is concerned, I would say that if you remain to be just a small fish (it seems to me that it can be the case of your setup, @lagloriacubana), you can be fine. If you enter a big business and start to make a remarkable money, you can be endangered, unfortunately...
At least I think so.

Not to forget: I share the opinion that PL is a nice and quite safe country to visit or stay for a while. I cannot form a judgement to what extent it is important to be able at least understand local language; it seems to me that it is important (again, nothing exceptional in the world) but it's just a speculation from me, I understand Polish well so cannot try the opposite

 

[brianK]

Bulgaria also doesn’t really fit the bill and cost savings will be defeated by other expenses I do if I go that route.

What would be the "other expenses" if you don't mind to elaborate?

I am considering moving to Bulgaria at some point because, for relatively little money, 1 million euros, you can live very well there and build an amazing house to live in.

And with an annual income of just 400,000 euros, you can live really well there, from what I’ve read.

 

[lagloriacubana]

What would be the "other expenses" if you don't mind to elaborate?

I am considering moving to Bulgaria at some point because, for relatively little money, 1 million euros, you can live very well there and build an amazing house to live in.

And with an annual income of just 400,000 euros, you can live really well there, from what I’ve read.

Other expenses in this situation are relevant to my personal situation - I doubt they will impact you.

I highly recommend that you actually visit Bulgaria a few times and try to socialise before you make the decision. I have a friend who moved here and didn't like the overall enviornment - but that's his experience, not anything I can personally comment on.

Furthermore, you have to take into account there is still an issue with organised crime in Bulgaria and overall corruption level is extremely high. Here was an interesting article not too long ago https://www.ft.com/content/58b59fde-0f4a-4da2-b68e-e824eee9380e

Also this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Bulgaria

Have you lived in such countries like Bulgaria or Romania before? If not, highly recommend spend at least two 2-3 month trips - during winter and summer - before you make such a decision to put in a million there or move there.

I am not sure about Bulgaria but in Ukraine and another East European country I am familiar with businesses were bribing police to raid their competitors. So take that into account how flashy you want to live there. Once again, I have no such experience in Bulgaria but if you are familiar with post-soviet culture and how crime works in such places, best to spend some time in such places to see how comfortable you are actually living there.

 

[lagloriacubana]

It seems to me that it is important (again, nothing exceptional in the world) but it's just a speculation from me, I understand Polish well so cannot try the opposite

Until now I have had no problems with language issues - but then I have not dealt with government officials, in which case I would take a lawyer or interpreter with me anyway.

About 15 years ago, I found myself sitting next to a C-level executive from Mercury Bank on a train from Berlin to Warsaw. We ended up chatting for most of the trip, and I was very impressed with how ambitious Polish businesspeople were. Fast forward to now, and seeing the success of so many Polish companies in the IT space (which I know a bit about, since it's my industry), I really can't agree with the idea that they’re closed off to the outside world. Just look at how much progress has been made economically. That kind of growth doesn’t happen by staying inward-focused nut rather by looking ahead and reaching out.

 

[Forester]

About 15 years ago, I found myself sitting next to a C-level executive from Mercury Bank on a train from Berlin to Warsaw. We ended up chatting for most of the trip, and I was very impressed with how ambitious Polish businesspeople were. Fast forward to now, and seeing the success of so many Polish companies in the IT space (which I know a bit about, since it's my industry), I really can't agree with the idea that they’re closed off to the outside world.

This is really context-dependent, in my deep opinion. Try to take a passenger train (e.g.) from Sandomierz or Bialystok to some place nearby and you will probably be surprised what you will hear from the passengers next to you (hypothethically, as in many cases they will not speak English). (To avoid misunderstanding – there is nothing wrong with these people. They only perceive the world differently.)

Just look at how much progress has been made economically. That kind of growth doesn’t happen by staying inward-focused nut rather by looking ahead and reaching out.

The economic progress of PL is of course indisputable. As for the background, I think that there are two factors:
1) The traditional spirit of enterprise of Polish people. They were always really skilled as enterpreneurs.
2) Regardless of what political party was in power in the last decades, Poland was really smart and competent in the exploitation of EU funds. Hats off. (FMPOV, e.g. remarkably better than SK and much better than CZ.)

 

[brianK]

Other expenses in this situation are relevant to my personal situation - I doubt they will impact you.

I highly recommend that you actually visit Bulgaria a few times and try to socialise before you make the decision. I have a friend who moved here and didn't like the overall enviornment - but that's his experience, not anything I can personally comment on.

Furthermore, you have to take into account there is still an issue with organised crime in Bulgaria and overall corruption level is extremely high. Here was an interesting article not too long ago https://www.ft.com/content/58b59fde-0f4a-4da2-b68e-e824eee9380e

Also this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Bulgaria

Have you lived in such countries like Bulgaria or Romania before? If not, highly recommend spend at least two 2-3 month trips - during winter and summer - before you make such a decision to put in a million there or move there.

I am not sure about Bulgaria but in Ukraine and another East European country I am familiar with businesses were bribing police to raid their competitors. So take that into account how flashy you want to live there. Once again, I have no such experience in Bulgaria but if you are familiar with post-soviet culture and how crime works in such places, best to spend some time in such places to see how comfortable you are actually living there.

Impressive details you gave me there. Indeed good idea to stay there some months or more to get a feeling of how things are there. I plan to rent some AirBNB or something and take a few friend with me.