and, with a smile, added, “You cannot
buy insurance in Moldova, must be
bought in Romania.”
This conversation is in a dark
corner next to the customs building,
a temporary metal office now made
permanent. Over his shoulder I can
see two things: a poster denouncing
corruption with a telephone number
to call; and further, about thirty
metres outside his country border,
a line of portacabin offices with the
sign “Assigura – Insurance” above
them.
I am English, I am indignant, I am
pretty much fucked over by this petty
official. I also know that any bribe
is split with him and his superiors.
To complain means I will be denied
entrance to the country. I am already
banned from entering Kazakhstan for
refusal to pay bribes at the border to
simply leave the country.
And being English, and assumed
to have money, I am asked how much
money I have. I say, “I have nothing
except one hundred Romanian Lei”
He replied, “Lay one hundred Lei
in your passport, hand it to me and I
will see what I can do about your big
problem.”
I am easily drawn into the
corruption. One hundred lei is 20
Euros. I could be stuck here for hours
or trying to return to a Romanian
city and the dark is gathering.
The principle swallowed, money
and passport handed over. In ten
minutes, I am fast tracked to the head
of the queue, stamped and motioned
through the barriers nonstop.
Three minutes later, at the
Portacabin for the purchase of
Assigura, I buy fifteen days insurance
for three euros to avoid questions
from policemen on the road. And
then head east toward Chișinău,
Moldova’s capital city.
As to my host, who was locked up
for a month; she was told, if she and
each of three other people living in
her shared apartment paid €3,000
each, the charges would be dropped.
She refused.
At the end of the month of
incarceration she was told that the
charges would be dropped if she, and
her friends, paid €15,000 each. She
refused.
Her lawyer, firmly directed by her
Grandfather, a lawyer himself but
retired, managed to get her released.
Six years later, and with legal fees of
€15,000 paid in full, she was found
innocent of all charges.
It was also found that the
complainant was colluding with the
Prosecutor. No charges were brought;
she cannot claim or sue for the legal
fees and charges to be returned here
in the Republic of Moldova.
Alexandra’s apartment was small.
One room, a kitchen and a bathroom.
In the kitchen a small shrine to
some Saints, in the three metre by
five metre bed sitting room, another
shrine, larger, for the Holy Virgin.
The wine glass and the near empty
TRAVERSE 48