Contemporary Economy (Dec 2011)
Threats to stability of the national banking system during the crisis of the foreign capital domination – fiction or reality?
Abstract
Foreign investors have a significant share in Polish banking system (about 66% share in assets of the banking sector). This situation is often criticised by the opponents of such a big share of foreign investments in Polish banking sector. The fears are expressed that foreign investors can limit credits for Polish people and enterprises and transfer capital from their subsidiaries to the dominant companies, especially in the period of crisis in the financial market. This problem has been examined in this article. In the first part of the text the property structure of Polish banking sector has been presented. Because the important terms for this text (such as a bank, credit institution, financial institution) are differently defined according to the Polish law and European Union law the second part of this article has been dedicated to this problem. In its third part the behaviour of foreign banks and branches of credit institutions on Polish banking market in 2007 – 2011 has been analysed. The conclusion is that foreign dominant companies did not transfer capital from their subsidiaries. On the contrary they made a contribution to the funds of their subsidiaries. The dominant companies also did not limit the credit action to a degree exceeding the normal procedure in crisis situations. Finally, there follows the critical analysis of the concept of governmental institutions’ support of buying-back foreign banks by Polish capital or foreign-Polish capital.
