The KhroniclesThe Bilingual Community Newspaper |
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'Η Δίγλωσση Τοπική Εφημερίδα ΣαςΤα Χρονικά |
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| ISSUE NO. 44 | DECEMBER 2009 | WWW.KO-GO.GR | ||
The KhroniclesThe Bilingual Community Newspaper |
|
'Η Δίγλωσση Τοπική Εφημερίδα ΣαςΤα Χρονικά |
||
| ISSUE NO. 44 | DECEMBER 2009 | WWW.KO-GO.GR | ||
The KhroniclesA division of Ko-Go ΕπιχειρήσειςBox 332 Publisher:Sofia Klidi Editor:Lou Duro Associate Editors:Tony & Christine Bowes Web Editor John McLaren Contributors/
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With
weather that northern Europeans would kill for, we stand in line at IΚΑ and
OAED offices, arms laden with folders containing our paper versions of our
Cretan lives. Summer is over and, although the weather would fool the best
of us, the lady behind the desk politely reminds me of the fact with a
shout: "You must have this paper signed and stamped by IKA!"
Sigh.
The
usual paper hassle went quite fast. I could have taken care of a lot of this
before hand if I would have done my tax return on time and renewed my
insurance book before summer, but since a few years back I have started to
take this "manana/avrio" thing
quite seriously. As a result I am solely to blame for the administrative
hiccup or two. This year, though, I was informed by some dear friends I
would be eligible for rent subsidies.
I'm thinking, talk to me baby, tell me more.
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It
wasn't that bad actually. Yeah you do need a stack of papers but most of
them I already had. The one missing was what they call a
Pistopoiitiko Oikogeneiakis
Katastasis. Great, no prob. I and a friend in the same situation took it
upon ourselves to get this paper. Desk Number 1 informed us we had no such
paper since we were not registered, as we were EU citizens. This paper we
should get from our own country, Holland.
Great! We called the Dutch
embassy to send us the paper. They, let's call them desk number 2, told us
there is no such paper in Holland. Desk number 3 informed us that only when
hell freezes over we will get something done without this paper. Desk number
4, embassy again, would gladly send us a document in Greek with an official
stamp by the ambassador which should be good enough. Desk number 5 informed
us that it has to be in our native tongue and officially translated by a
court appointed translator. Last, but not least, desk number 6 (embassy)
stated that since no such paper exists in Dutch they cannot issue it.
Classic Catch 22 syndrome. One
sometimes wonders how this world is able to turn without us falling off . .
. there must be some kind of document.
Anyway, my friend and I are not ones to give up. We have been able to trace
a Dutch lady in the same situation that has had these subsidies in the past,
and we shall copy her paper work and, if push comes to shove, bribe her with
a tall latte from Starbucks to join us on our quest. Things like this do not
discourage me; they just get the adrenaline flowing, we will get what we
want, no doubt in my mind. The
reason why my blood is practically boiling right now is the following: I am
an EU citizen; I have lived here legally for the past 16 years; I have put
my kids through school; adhered to all the laws; hell, I can even vote here.
What I can't do is register myself and children as living here!
So Mr.
Mayor, I'll be popping around quite a bit over the coming couple of weeks,
to see if we can't just bend this
banana into shape together. There must be a solution for us Europeans,
I'm sure. And, if not, maybe it's time we all take our votes elsewhere.
See ya! |
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