Tourist Reveals Names of Corrupt Macedonian Border Guards

[vicsinad]

Originally Posted by Vangelovski

Phoenix, don't excuse Macedonia border guards just because their the victim is American. I've seen and experienced MK customs corruption enough times to know how real it is. And that's just the beginning.

This isn't pointed at you, but I get the feeling that a lot of Macedonians from the diaspora go there, can't speak two words and spend the whole time with their family - in effect seeing and experiencing nothing. Then come back with this warm and fuzzy feeling of how great it was.

I had one asshole go through my bag and then hold me up for 30 minutes asking me to give him my tube for dencorub because he had a sore shoulder. He could have ordered that online from Amcal too or bought something similar from his local chemist, but (given how retarded he seemed) thought it would be easier (and perhaps cheaper) to take it off me. I had to explain to him he's not getting it. Eventually his superior just told him to let me go. They're stupid, corrupt and will take anything.

Yes. When I went with my mom and grandma when I was 16, they claimed to have lost my mom's baggage at the airport until my mom pulled out enough money ($60) to have them have suddenly find the baggage.

My cousin's grandma went for a wedding and her dress for the wedding still had a tag on it so the officials accused her of intending to illegally sell it in Macedonia. She also had to pay a sum that was almost as much as the cost of the dress in order for them to let her proceed with the dress.

This is just repeated over and over again...I've heard endless stories from family/friends. It's ingrained in Macedonian mentality/culture there.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Vangelovski

Phoenix, don't excuse Macedonia border guards just because their the victim is American. I've seen and experienced MK customs corruption enough times to know how real it is. And that's just the beginning.

This isn't pointed at you, but I get the feeling that a lot of Macedonians from the diaspora go there, can't speak two words and spend the whole time with their family - in effect seeing and experiencing nothing. Then come back with this warm and fuzzy feeling of how great it was.

I had one asshole go through my bag and then hold me up for 30 minutes asking me to give him my tube for dencorub because he had a sore shoulder. He could have ordered that online from Amcal too or bought something similar from his local chemist, but (given how retarded he seemed) thought it would be easier (and perhaps cheaper) to take it off me. I had to explain to him he's not getting it. Eventually his superior just told him to let me go. They're stupid, corrupt and will take anything.

Vangelovski,

I get it, I'm certainly not sticking up for them because their victim was an American and anyone who has travelled to Macedonia will have a negative customs story to tell.

The point was...'innocent until proven guilty'...no need to 'name and shame people' on the internet without getting to the bottom of the facts and hearing the other side of the story...that's all.

Why should we automatically believe the American...?
After all, he's a documentary film maker, who's to say he hasn't made shit up or provoked people for a reaction.
As a filmmaker, or tourist...who gives him the right to identify people in such a way.

If he wants to save the world from corruption, perhaps his attention should be focused on the USA, where maybe he could make a meaningful difference...or is it perhaps that in the USA, if you pulled such a 'name and shame' stunt you'll get your arse sued to the tune of millions...?

[Vangelovski]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Vangelovski,

I get it, I'm certainly not sticking up for them because their victim was an American and anyone who has travelled to Macedonia will have a negative customs story to tell.

The point was...'innocent until proven guilty'...no need to 'name and shame people' on the internet without getting to the bottom of the facts and hearing the other side of the story...that's all.

Why should we automatically believe the American...?
After all, he's a documentary film maker, who's to say he hasn't made shit up or provoked people for a reaction.
As a filmmaker, or tourist...who gives him the right to identify people in such a way.

If he wants to save the world from corruption, perhaps his attention should be focused on the USA, where maybe he could make a meaningful difference...or is it perhaps that in the USA, if you pulled such a 'name and shame' stunt you'll get your arse sued to the tune of millions...?

I take your point about naming and shaming.

[Amphipolis]

He did manage to save the footage from the confiscated drones. This is his footage from Greece and shows how he would probably use his drones in Macedonia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEml-vMSkFA

Extended discussions and info about this episode can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/macedoniacorruption/


==

[Gocka]

Yea the border agents and customs are a bunch of clowns. Usually you just have to show them that you aren't scared of them and they back off.

[Vangelovski]

Originally Posted by Gocka

Usually you just have to show them that you aren't scared of them and they back off.

I've found that. It goes for the police as well.

[Karposh]

I think it's important to stress that opportunistic scumbags exist everywhere and in every country and such behaviour is not the exclusive domain of the many Macedonian pigs that we have encountered in RoM while holidaying there. That said, I too have many disappointing stories of unethical behaviour demonstrated by some in RoM that left me with a very bad taste in my mouth. Whether one has been on the receiving end of such behaviour or simply observed it, it's still a disgusting sight to behold.

The rudeness, the arrogance, the disrespect, the lack of basic customer service are just some aspects of many of the prevailing attitudes by people employed in various sectors of the Macedonian economy. I mentioned these attitudes to a family member in RoM and I remember he tried to explain it to me by saying that these were the "old communist" attitudes when people had jobs for life and arrogantly treated people with disdain. Somehow, he believed things would change with time and that privatisation would force people to change their attitudes if they wanted to hold on to their current jobs. That was a while ago now and, sadly, many of these attitudes are still prevalent I think. The arrogant "Big Shot" mentality that many seem to thrive on in RoM is not seen as a human weakness but they wear it like a badge of honour. The perceived "respect" that they feel comes with belittling people, fleecing them through deceit or behaving like tycoons is a good thing in their eyes and not at all bad.

One thing I hate most about some of the prevailing attitudes in Macedonia is the old chestnut "Snajdi se pa zhivej". In other words, it's okay to lie, steal, deceive or basically do whatever it takes, so long as it allows you to survive another day. This is so narrow minded and simplistic, the consequence of which is that it corrupts the soul. Someone who is prepared to cheat his or her own family just to "survive another day" will have no problems with treating "dumb" tourists from Australia, the U.S. and Canada like scum. So it should come as no surprise when they kick our bags at the station (as Stojacanec experienced) or tell us that we haven't declared our sock and undies at customs.

Of the many unsavoury memories, one particularly comes to mind for some reason. There was a little restaurant near where I was staying in Bitola which I often passed by but never ventured into. So I decided to try it out one night. Looking at the menu, I was immediately impressed by how cheap the prices were. A quick head calculation and the "lovachka" worked out to be less than $10. The waiter, very politely and attentively, offered me a "luto piperche" to go with my meal and all seemed good. The lovachka and the luto piperche went down a treat. Then came the bill. Almost triple the cost of what was advertised on the menu. I queried it with the good waiter and he explained that the advertised price was just for the lovachka. It didn't include the price of the luto piperche and stale piece of bread I was given.

I remember to this day the look on the waiter's face as I turned around for one last look at the crime scene and seeing him smiling and chatting to a fellow waiter, no doubt regaling him of a job well done fleecing yet another dumb Aussie tourist. What that waiter will never understand is that, although he was $15 the richer that night, he will always remain a poor cunt in life. And I'm not just talking financially but spiritually as well. Once your integrity is gone so is your soul. Unless he and others in Macedonia see the error in their way they will remain unethical scumbags for life.

[Spirit]

I had an interesting experience when I went back in 2012 with the police in Bitola.
My first cousin took me to the police station in Bitola on my second day so I could inform them that I had arrived from Australia and to fill out any relevant paperwork.
We arrived at the police station and my cousin pointed out an officer who comes from our village and that he would look after me.
To test a theory I asked my cousin to wait outside whilst I dealt with the police officer.
I approached the officer and informed him that I had arrived from Australia the previous day and was making notification that I would be in Macedonia for 3 months but also within that 3 months I would be spending a week in Spain and a week in England.
The officer handed me out paperwork to complete and assisted me in completing it. With all that done the officer then turn around and said to me that I have to pay a 200 euro fee.
At that point I called my cousin in. You should have seen the look on the officers face when my cousin walked in and exchanged greetings with him.
The officer asked me what the connection was and I informed him that this was my first cousin from two brothers.
The officer then changed his tune in front of my cousin and said he was only joking about the 200 euro fee and that in reality there is no fee at all, he started calling "butka and brat" and said if I needed anything to come to him as our backgrounds are from the same village.
I had a feeling that I would tried to be scammed, hence why I asked my cousin to initially wait outside so I could test my theory.
If only the officer had tried to scam about 30 or 40 euro instead of 200 I might have fallen for it as this would seem reasonable for a fee if there was one. Idiot.

[Karposh]

Originally Posted by Spirit

I had an interesting experience when I went back in 2012 with the police in Bitola.
My first cousin took me to the police station in Bitola on my second day so I could inform them that I had arrived from Australia and to fill out any relevant paperwork.
We arrived at the police station and my cousin pointed out an officer who comes from our village and that he would look after me.
To test a theory I asked my cousin to wait outside whilst I dealt with the police officer.
I approached the officer and informed him that I had arrived from Australia the previous day and was making notification that I would be in Macedonia for 3 months but also within that 3 months I would be spending a week in Spain and a week in England.
The officer handed me out paperwork to complete and assisted me in completing it. With all that done the officer then turn around and said to me that I have to pay a 200 euro fee.
At that point I called my cousin in. You should have seen the look on the officers face when my cousin walked in and exchanged greetings with him.
The officer asked me what the connection was and I informed him that this was my first cousin from two brothers.
The officer then changed his tune in front of my cousin and said he was only joking about the 200 euro fee and that in reality there is no fee at all, he started calling "butka and brat" and said if I needed anything to come to him as our backgrounds are from the same village.
I had a feeling that I would tried to be scammed, hence why I asked my cousin to initially wait outside so I could test my theory.
If only the officer had tried to scam about 30 or 40 euro instead of 200 I might have fallen for it as this would seem reasonable for a fee if there was one. Idiot.

I didn't realise that it was a requirement to report your presence to the police. I can't say that I've ever had to do that. But I get your point. The scamming is ingrained and the actions are often excused or justified by "Oh, he's from Australia...He can afford it. No harm done." Subsidising their, admittedly, meagre wages and salaries through unethical methods such as the one you just described are a disgrace and there can be no justification for it. I don't think it can ever be weeded out though as it starts right from the top as everyone keeps pointing out here. It's really off-putting and ruins the Macedonian brand they are trying to promote as the sunny, friendly place where everyone has a heart of gold.

[Spirit]

Or how about this one, from a government level.
Apparently if you want to stay in Macedonia longer than 3 months you need a Macedonian passport (I can't remember the cost but it was a couple of hundred euro)otherwise you will pay a considerable fine when you leave, this is what I was told by my cousins when I was there in 2012.
Even though I had no intention of staying longer than I allocated I stated to my cousin that my 3 months should reset once I got back from Spain and England (as stated above I went to Spain and England for 2 weeks in the middle of the three months) should I decide to stay a few weeks extra. My cousin informed me to the best of my memory (and don't quote me on this) that my 3 months would not reset even though I was in another 2 foreign countries for 2 weeks and would only reset the following year. The gist of it is that you can only spend 3 months in Macedonia each year without a Macedonian passport. I don't know how true this is but it seems plausible given the level of blatant open corruption I saw there.
My point is, as I pointed out to my cousins, I have no need for a Macedonian passport as I have an Australian passport which basically allows me to travel anywhere in the world.
The point is, and if this is true, that this just goes to show the mentality of the bureaucrats in the country, let's fleece the foreigners, the diaspora out of a couple of hundred euros. My counter argument would be that if I wanted to spend a year in Macedonia obviously I've got the finances to do so, my spending would be pumping money into the economy and during that year I would obviously be spending a lot more money than the initial couple of hundred euro to get a Macedonian passport, as stated I do not need one as I have an Australian passport. The bureaucrats obviously can't see the bigger and longer picture and are thinking in the short term.