Witches to cast spells in protest over tax
Source: Agencies |
January 7, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
EVERYONE curses the tax man, but Romanian witches angry about having to pay up for the first time are planning to use cat excrement and dead dogs to cast spells on the president and government.
Also among Romania's newest taxpayers are fortune tellers - but they probably should have seen it coming.
Superstitions are no laughing matter in Romania - the land of the medieval ruler who inspired the "Dracula" tale - and have been part of its culture for centuries. President Traian Basescu and his aides have been known to wear purple on certain days, supposedly to ward off evil.
Romanian witches were expected to head to the southern plains and the Danube River late yesterday to threaten the government with spells and spirits because of the tax law, which came into effect on January 1.
A dozen witches will hurl the poisonous mandrake plant into the Danube to put a hex on government officials "so evil will befall them," said a witch named Alisia. She identified herself with one name - customary among Romania's witches.
"This law is foolish. What is there to tax, when we hardly earn anything?" she said on Wednesday. "The lawmakers don't look at themselves, at how much they make, their tricks; they steal and they come to us asking us to put spells on their enemies."
The new law is part of the government's drive to collect more revenue and crack down on tax evasion in a country that is in recession.
In the past, the less mainstream professions of witch, astrologer and fortune teller were not listed in the Romanian labor code, as were those of embalmer, valet and driving instructor. Those who worked those jobs used their lack of registration to evade paying income tax.
Under the new law, like any self-employed person, they will pay 16 percent income tax and make contributions to health and pension programs.
Some say the law will be hard to enforce, as payments to witches and astrologers usually are made in cash and relatively small at US$7-US$10 per consultation.
Mircea Geoana, who lost the presidential race to Basescu in 2009, performed poorly during a crucial debate, and his camp blamed attacks of negative energy by their opponent's aides.
Such spiritualism has long been tolerated by the Orthodox Church in Romania. The late president Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, Elena, had their own personal witch.
But not every witch is threatening fire and brimstone.
"This law is very good," said Mihaela Minca. "It means that our magic gifts are recognized and I can open my own practice."
Also among Romania's newest taxpayers are fortune tellers - but they probably should have seen it coming.
Superstitions are no laughing matter in Romania - the land of the medieval ruler who inspired the "Dracula" tale - and have been part of its culture for centuries. President Traian Basescu and his aides have been known to wear purple on certain days, supposedly to ward off evil.
Romanian witches were expected to head to the southern plains and the Danube River late yesterday to threaten the government with spells and spirits because of the tax law, which came into effect on January 1.
A dozen witches will hurl the poisonous mandrake plant into the Danube to put a hex on government officials "so evil will befall them," said a witch named Alisia. She identified herself with one name - customary among Romania's witches.
"This law is foolish. What is there to tax, when we hardly earn anything?" she said on Wednesday. "The lawmakers don't look at themselves, at how much they make, their tricks; they steal and they come to us asking us to put spells on their enemies."
The new law is part of the government's drive to collect more revenue and crack down on tax evasion in a country that is in recession.
In the past, the less mainstream professions of witch, astrologer and fortune teller were not listed in the Romanian labor code, as were those of embalmer, valet and driving instructor. Those who worked those jobs used their lack of registration to evade paying income tax.
Under the new law, like any self-employed person, they will pay 16 percent income tax and make contributions to health and pension programs.
Some say the law will be hard to enforce, as payments to witches and astrologers usually are made in cash and relatively small at US$7-US$10 per consultation.
Mircea Geoana, who lost the presidential race to Basescu in 2009, performed poorly during a crucial debate, and his camp blamed attacks of negative energy by their opponent's aides.
Such spiritualism has long been tolerated by the Orthodox Church in Romania. The late president Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, Elena, had their own personal witch.
But not every witch is threatening fire and brimstone.
"This law is very good," said Mihaela Minca. "It means that our magic gifts are recognized and I can open my own practice."
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