Bribe

I recently got to know a woman who works at a university as a teacher in Bratislava. We talked about many things and one of them was bribe. It is still very normal in Slovakia to bribe people especially in government run offices and institutions. One reason is that people who work for the government (in schools, hospitals, police etc.) get paid very little. The pay is for sure not enough to live off. Another reason is that the laws are written in such a way that to get some things done is so complicated that even the people who are supposed to follow them (like police) are reluctant to do so and many times advise people to break laws and eagerly offer their help for something in exchange.

The field I am interested in is, of course, hospitals and doctors. Doctors get bribed often. If you dont bribe them you could be waiting for your operation so long that it wouldnt help you in the end. Or they would go for the easiest option of making the operation which would have consequences for your body and future living.

The woman I met told me about her friend who is a surgeon. His opinion goes something like this: When he was young he didnt want to accept bribes but soon realized the pressure of his job. He had to use public transport, full buses, to get to work. At work he had operation after operation and he had to stay calm to do that well. Then he thought "I need a car. I cannot use buses to work anymore. It drives me crazy." But - big problem. "How will I afford a car with this shitty pay?" That is impossible. "I shall have to accept bribes. There is no other way."

The woman also told me she never wanted to accept bribes neither. But her collegues or boss did and since she didnt want to lose her job she had to close her eyes once in a while.

Voice of typical Slovak:

"But this cannot be changed."
"Thats life!"
"We´ll see..."
"There is nothing you can do."

Mejfazu means in some tribal language "Nothing can be done." And I chose it as my nick to always remember that this is what hopeless people say. I want to fight. I want to do things as I want. I am not going to allow any situation make me forget my moral standards. I used to argue with people and oppose when they said "Nothing can be done." I dont do it anymore because I understand that I havent been tried yet. And it can happen, I admit, that when I do get tested I will break. I hope not. I really from my deep heart hope it will never happen to me and I will always have the strength to go against the tide for whatever costs. Because that is how things can be changed.