Bribes

[bleau]

I was talking to my lady in Ukraine yesterday and she told me today would be a bad day for her in her shop. I asked her why and she said she would probably receive a visit from the tax person. She kinda sorta explained this to me about how he would come in, check her books and inventory and she would have to pay him a bribe to keep her business certificate and not possibly get an enormous fine and not have to close her business. I asked her if she could afford this and she said I have no choice.

Sure enough he came in while we were talking in Skype with our cams on this morning. I saw him walk in her office with a brief case. She looked a little worried and said not to worry, waved bye to me and closed Skype. He was there for a couple of hours and she told me later today she had to pay him about $2000.00 their money. She told me this is just part of doing business in Ukraine. She also told me she has to pay $85.00 a month in taxes.

I have another friend from Ukraine married to one of my friends. Her son got in a fight in a disco recently and was carried to a police station and in order for the cop to do a criminal report he wanted a $2000 bribe their money and then he would find the guy and lock him up. The kid is still in a hospital with bribe paid and no one locked up yet.

I asked my friend the translator that lives near me about this and she said...your lady is ok, it's just the way it is in Ukraine and she knows the game there and how to survive.

I've heard about, read about it and more or less now I have seen it in action.

[tfcrew]

KIEV, Ukraine -- Companies operating in Ukraine are spending more money on bribes in order to sift through Ukraine’s murky business climate, according to the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting.

http://news.kievukraine.info/2007/06/survey-companies-in-ukraine-paying-more.html

Did a word search on our forum here....Ukraine +bribe =6 pages of various posts.

Study: half of citizens give bribes
 by Maria Aksyonova, Kyiv Post Staff Writer
 Sep 19 2007, 21:07 

read below link
http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=5915.msg112665#msg112665

  ALSO
6 pages of posts...
http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?action=search2;params=eJwtj8EKwkAMRH9FvHiZw242222_prTbgNXayloVoR_vVIQhJC8zkHTDq5uzDdtpc9tx68veeUgFUahHgCKiQmRxiA0SvEeNBlJDGgSHQJcg0ClQVuYilBEPTdAa2iAKooOnmZxKqJhKCNw6CCXwgkQF-BpJkSLveZyXd5uX232y1XjZjp79xfLaLvP0-ZOlrOyKTfZ75o_aYSzEgz3yTqwr-cy5L2Nvh-e1dONsX1niSZ0.;start=30



 

[mendeleyev]

While Russia is doing a better job on this issue these days, but still not perfect, Ukraine is more of a mess.

Your lady also has a "roof" most likely--some sort of mafia protection that keeps her in business. It could be, depending on her mastery of English, that the "tax" man is part of that connection you saw on Skype as the mafia often comes from 3 structures:

- Criminal mafia (began during Soviet days in the prison systems)
- Government mafia (bureaucrats with folks up the ladder also get a cut)
- Police mafia (nothing like having the neighborhood cops taking a personal interest in the health of your business)

[Jack]

Most Ukraine business's are going to have to do business with one or the other, the mafia or the police.     
 
 
The government mafia Mendy makes reference to will be paid by either the police or mafia, it's not often the government mafia will deal directly with business.     
 
 
But make no doubt about it, the Russian government and police control the Russian mafia.  The Ukraine government and police control the Ukraine mafia.  The government and police tell the mafia exactly what they can and cannot do.  And as long as the mafia follows these rules they will not have any problems with the police or the government.  And for the most part the mafia follows these rules to the letter. They know they have it made, they know they have it good, all they have to do is follow the rules.
 
 

[BC]

It's a stage in economic development.

As the economy develops, government gains power through a larger tax base and can properly pay for enforcement of laws.

Right now both government and 'bizness' are scrambling, each about as powerful as the other.

Anyone that has traveled to Spain and Italy have probably noted the large number of armed, private security companies.

As a homeowner I pay one of these security firms for their 'services'.  They let the bad guys know we're off limits aside from playing the occasional role as taxi to the airport and such.

I guess one could call it government condoned bribery.. but hey it works.. we pay their service, they pay their taxes and everyone is happy.

[GQBlues]

Capitalism in its simplest form. 'Services' for hire, 'favor' paybacks...
 
Happened (circa 20s, 30s, 40s), happens (2010 - present) in the US, too... 

[BC]

Dont know if it still in the german tax code, but bribes were tax deductable.. Had to name the recipient though.