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Archived Articles
Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.
He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.
In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.
Global Real Estate Project
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Belize: Paradise Isn't For EveryoneTo live the last years of your life in a paradise, what a beautiful dream for anyone who has spent his entire life working hard, who had enough of regulations and high taxes. But where to find this paradise on earth? Most recently Belize (former Britigh Honduras), a small country in Central America, has come under intensive scrutiny by some international media. The result was an increased influx of American and European expatriates. Some of them found the country beautiful, some didn't. What does Belize really look like? Why do some see this country as a paradise on earth and why do others prefer to get away and never get back? Belize is a very small country without major industries. It collects its incomes putting an accent on the import duties instead of income taxes. These small facts explain why some things look so bizarre compared to the other countries. For some foreigners it's suprising why they have to look for days even weeks to get some building nails or a certain kind of auto part, and why this stuff is so expensive. The answer is that these parts have to be imported, as well as the bags of cement for the new construction, and that the import duties are high. These duties darkened the life of some expatriates who had been told that household goods were duty free if one moved to Belize permanently. Later at customs, when it's too late to change the plans, these foreigners learn that these items are really duty free but only if you have a work permit or a permanent residency. To apply for a residency, you need to have lived in Belize for 1 year. Consequently they have to pay 10% duty, which some ironically call a "welcome tax". Some find Belize a very attractive place to live because the state authority is less present and they can make whatever they like, respecting the laws of course, without being considered as trouble makers. So no big brothers around to tell you what you should or shouldn't do on one particular place or in one particular time. This wider personal rights' conception has its reverse side. You can be almost certain that nobody will call the police if you start signing loudly a song at mid-night, but also you can't be sure that someone will call the police if a gang decides to rob your house during the night. Belize is a poor country compared to the United States so you as a wealthy foreigner (every expatriate is presumed to be very rich), you're a target for any sort of scams and robberies. When something like that happens to you, look at the history books where it's underlined that this society was founded by English-speaking pirates, looking for the foreigners' gold. On the better side of the balance, Belize has some charms making it quite unique in Central America. Besides the fact that the foreigners can own land, this country is the only predominantly English-speaking society in Central America. It has a stable democratic system and almost no population. Given its natural beauties, some travel agents have tried to promote the image of Belize as a "paradise on earth". How much will it cost you to live in this paradise? It depends, say those who have spent at least some years there. It really depends and the cost may vary between several hundred and several thousand per month. As a general rule, the new foreigners pay the highest price for everything: house, land, construction works, alcohol etc. After several months or years they find out how to reduce their expenditures. Belize is a country without strict market regulations so the prices could vary enormously. An oceanfront lot could cost $2,000 for some and $10,000 for others. A house could be bought for $100,000, but the same kind of a house constructed under the owner supervision could cost just $30,000. For Belize as for any other country like it, our advice to the individual investors is simple: Don't settle down before being certain that this country is right for you. Go there as a tourist, rent a house or an apartment for a week or two, later for a month or two. Try living in different regions. Don't be fouled by the predictions that this or that country will be saturated with foreigners so quickly that you should buy now or never. Remember that there are so many places on earth to go; one or two less doesn't change the equation. Maybe one of them, maybe even Belize is right for you. Maybe it's really the paradise on earth. But remember, even the paradise isn't for everyone.
------- Country profile:(Source: CIA - The World Factbook 2002) --------------------
See also the directory of companies providing real estate services in, and general real estate information of Belize.
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