By Agim Xhafka
I spontaneously asked myself this after a dialogue with my neighbor Nardin. He works in administration. His wife is a teacher, they have two children. A girl and a boy.
"I had a problem with the Cadastre and couldn't solve it for years. A cousin of mine intervened, gave someone a bribe, and everything was resolved within a day," I told him.
"They steal everywhere," he told me. "Whenever you enter an office, they don't look you in the eye, they just look at your hands."
I was surprised that he also works in a state office. But he didn't leave me like that for long.
-I am your neighbor, I live in a rented house. You know that I pay 600 euros a month, as much as Zamira, the wife, gets paid. So I spend the month on my salary, which after taxes is 800 euros, since I am the boss and I have a pretty good salary. In addition to food, we need an average of 30 euros a day. So 900 a month. I came out 100 minus just for food. Yes, heating, yes, cooking, yes, internet, yes, cell phones, yes, books and clothes for the children because luckily I have them in public school. I don't have a car, nor do I travel or vacation abroad. For a modest life on top of my salary, I need an additional 500 euros. Otherwise... otherwise, I don't know what path to take.
Full justification. With such a salary, you really can't make it no matter how honest you are. And that's how most people are. So they shamelessly, shamelessly expect alms from citizens. The state knows, instead of giving them dignity, it leaves them as they are. Steal from a little because I, the government and my friends, will steal from a lot.
Nardi goes to work by bus every morning. And his wife too. The children walk, they have school nearby. Luckily they don't know yet that their father is taking something under his control. Every day his conscience tells him, don't accept it. While necessity tells him, hurry up, hurry up!
