Studies in English + hardsubbing

how could you get 23% from polish T_T

Famous case of retiree accused of putting Polish State Treasure to expense of 6 pennies tax loss has to come to an end in Lodz's court.

It had started like this: last year's autumn referendary from Internal Revenue Service had come to boutique in center of Lodz. He had disguised himself as a student and asked for photocopy of his legitimation. He paid 30 pennies. After a while he came back with a woman inspector, from IRS also. They've asked for receipt for that service. They haven't got it. The State Treasury lost 22% from 30 pennies for done photocopy. That is 6 pennies. Legal proceedings has been started.

The newsagent is Ewa Stokowska, retiree. She explains she couldn't load the service on the cash register: "It didn't have authenticated code yet. My boss hadn't done it and was punished with a ticket for that. So I noted sums for xero in a notebook. I was explaining all of this but I wasn't listened to. Ticket was given to me but I didn't accept it."

Machine has started. IRS called her for a meeting. Reports done by inspectors who caught her red-handed were submitted. IRS made 5-page indictment, finally. Duplicates, post office, and work of office's legal adviser cost few hundred PLN.

Court of first resort sentenced Stokowska to a 500PLN penalty (~250USD). She appealed.

"I've made a mistake but Your Honour, what was I supposed to do when there was no code? (When) employer tells to do something employee listens" - said Stokowska in front of the court in April. "You don't hear about cases like that, there was very unfortunate coincidence."
"You could have refused doing illegal order" - convinced her judge Siewierska. "You have the right to do it.
"And who's going to give job to retiree? I would be fired and there's 10 people waiting for (my) place. I was earning 200PLN there..." (that's like 80USD, minimal enforced by law salary for a full time job is ~900PLN / ~360USD or something.)

Sentence was passed yesterday. Stokowska was penalized with 130PLN. Next 170PLN is lawsuit costs. She's supposed to return that to the ST too.

"Consumers have the right to be given receipt. You violated financial act. I can't not sentence you and it doesn't matter that State Treasure lost few pennies only because of you". If there was no positive verdict, it would encourage other Poles to break financial law" - explained judge Dorota Siewierska yesterday. "There can be no such admittance. You have 1700PLN net pay pension, you are driving toyota. You can afford this penalty. It will work educationally on you.

"I feel like a beaten dog. I'm a criminal according to the court. I will appeal. I won't pay, because I haven't deserved it in my opinion. I'll go to jail, whatever. I won't pay." - says Stokowska stubbornly.

-Courts are independent but this sentence is strange" - says doctor Jacek Skrzydło, lecturer at University of Lodz, tax law specialist.

"There is an evanescent harm concept in the act and this case is an ideal example. It should be discontinued. Law can't be working as mechanically as that. I'll give this example to students at university as a proof how law shouldn't work" - adds Skrzydło.


in Polish: http://wyborcza.pl/1,76842,6763041,300_zl_za_6_groszy.html

Human rights relating people addicted to drugs are being broken. Social spokesman will help investigate such cases. His appointment was announced by JUMP'93 association.
JUMP name is shortcut of Jesteśmy Uczestnikami Metadonowego Programu (We are Metadon Program Participants). Association was made 2 years ago by people addicted to drugs, undergoing metadon treatment. This is a pain killer drug which is administered orally during so called substitutable program to help to endure drug hunger symptoms. For one it's a chance to fight addiction to the drugs off, for the others it's a chance for a normal life, without every day's pursuit for the next dose.

"I thought I wouldn't be treated as a drug addict since I'm in metadon program but while I stayed in bed, orderlies refused to clean plates I used to eat, not to get infected. They assumed I had HIV. When my husband's leg was amputated, I was told to clean his surroundings by myself. I haven't receive anaesthetic because "I anaesthetized myself already". My baby died after being born because it wasn't connected to the respirator. It was stated the device couldn't be disinfected later" - told Emilia Kwiecińska from JUMP'93.
She's not taking any drugs for 14 years now thanks to metadon. She lives normal life, works.
She used to be heroine addict before.

Just as Dorota Skibińska - addicted for over 30 years. She couldn't stop it after tens of attempts of treatment. She's taking metadon for 2 years now.
"I'm mother of my son at last. My parents don't feel ashamed of me anymore and aren't scared I'll take something away from their house. Neighbours answer my greetings. And metadon therapy opponents say it's a free drug funded by the country" she said.

(...)

"I'm taking medicine for my thyroid. It can be said I'm addicted to it. So what? Is this bad if I can live normally thanks to that? Meanwhile so called substitutable treatment program, which works on the West since '60-s is treated suspiciously in Poland." "40-80% of people addicted to drugs in Europe are contained in it.
5% in Poland" - said Marta Gaszyńska, 10 years on metadon.

Addicted people's spokesman appointed yesterday - it won't be 1 person but staff - is supposed to take care of lobbying minister of health to change re-script that limits usage of substitutable therapy in selected resorts.
"We want it (the therapy) to be able to be handled in licensed consulting rooms too." - said Jacek Charmast, leader of the JUMP'93 association.
Spokesman is supposed to collect all signs of violation addicted people's rights - for example taking metadon patients into custody for possession of metadon [lol?](they are given "dose for later" during the therapy). You can call or mail him(...).

http://wyborcza.pl/1,76842,6763037,Narkoman_tez_czlowiek.html

Baker who was feeding poor and homeless for several years has become one of them after tax service visited him

54 years old Waldemar Gronowski from Legnica
university education civil engineer, has got his first unemployment benefit.
"I'm looking for a job. I don't know what I will do but I won't be a baker anymore" - he says.

Just during last year he employed more than dozen employees, running a prosperous bakery.
Each day he gave few hundred loafs away, which he couldn't sell.
Homeless and poor from Zakaczawie's quarter benefited from this.
Gronowski's bread was taken by orphanages and schools' common rooms too.
Charity canteen of Jesus' Sacred Heart congregation alone was given 400 loafs daily.

Baker's drama started when he was given Year 2004 Sponsor title.
Tax service officials arrived immediately and decided he should pay VAT for given bread + Show Spoiler +
- 45 000 PLN [at least 15 000USD!] for 2003 alone - and that baker should pay 200 000 PLN of income tax [~66 000USD].
" This is paranoia, if I would throw away this bread it wouldn't be treated as breaking the law. I was made a criminal because I gave it to homeless" - writhes Gronowski.

At the beginning of the year, Gronowski's case was published by Silesia's newspapers.
Intervention was promised by prime minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, tax service of Wroclaw ordered subordinate office in Legnica new contol of the bakery.

As an result 40 000PLN [13 000 USD] on Gronowski's account has been unfrozen.
"We haven't changed our mind about taxing Gronowski's charity activity" - says Malgorzata Czartoryska, public relations be on duty of Wroclaw tax service. - "Legal proceedings go on".

"They've stopped to order anything at my bakery, spring's sales dropped by 70%" - tells ex-baker.
"I had to sell the work-shop so not to get into debt. I've paid severance to my employees, I've paid National Insurance Institution + Show Spoiler +
We have to live on my wife's salary. I have to find a job quickly because we need money. I have a daughter who is still studying. If tax service's legal action will end in paying them more I have no idea what will happen."

Much else indicates tax service is going to request 245 000 PLN [82 000 USD] from Gronowski. There are still regulations that demand VAT and income tax from donators as if goods were sold.

"As long as repressive law doesn't change, baker from Legnica is in loser's situation" - stresses Andrzej Sadowski, vicepresident of Adam Smith Centre.