Hot Cuppa

In Austria everybody owning a TV set has to pay a fixed amount of tax as 40 Euros per month. Like many other forms of taxes this one is based on volunteered announcement and again like any such system there are random checks. The people who are called GIS agents knock the door suddenly and check whether you are using a TV set or a Radio without paying the relevant taxes. We are living in Vienna now for more than 19 months and didn't fill the tax form because we assumed that students are exempted to pay.

Just a few minutes ago was our turn! The man came and asked Maryam why she has not registered yet. Nevertheless he was so polite and caring that I, listening from another room, could not realize which kind of agent he might be. He carefully explained what the whole story is and what she has to do. He also discussed the cases where people are allowed not to pay. Thanks God we were included because I am receiving a scholarship and as a result am eligible of exemption. Knowing this he changed all the forms, filled some minutes ago, very patiently and explained us in details what to do. He even didn't forget to propose us the options to avoid paying some euros for postal costs.

I was really impressed by his style of behavior. At the beginning we could have been assumed as tax escapers, some sort of big sin in the western countries. But even in that case he treated Maryam very respectfully. We also received enough chance to explain our case and consult different possibilities of exemption with him. Just compare it with the behavior of public sector officials in Iran, especially the police forces. It does not matter if are guilty or not. Does not matter even whether you made the mistake or the government. In any case you have to be very humble in front of them and be really thankful if they do their own duties. Disgusting it is. However this could be changeable. I tried it in some occasions and asked the officer to do her/his job in a correct way. At the beginning he turned rude and even attempted to put some difficulties against my case but at the end I got the result. This is the strange psychology of people there. I don't know! May be they need some sort of esteem and regard which is not given in a natural form and therefore are being demanded from you as the client!