Poland's neighbors flocking back to bazaars thanks to strong ruble and euro

German and Russian consumers are flocking back to Polish bazaars which should help narrow the foreign-trade gap. Two years ago, in August 1998, the beginning of the Russian crisis when the ruble fell dramatically, Polish goods became too expensive for buyers from neighboring countries, particularly the East. Now there are signs that the situation is improving as both the ruble and the euro gain strength. Another factor which could be helping to lure foreign consumers back to Polish bazaars is the recently introduced Value-Added Tax (VAT) refund available to foreign buyers. Witold Chusc from CDM Pekao S.A. brokerage says the April balance of non-classified foreign trade, which includes bazaars, was 100% higher than the previous month. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 26) T.J.