A curse on taxes! Furious witches in Romania cast spells against government as they have to pay state for first time

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 10:59 AM on 7th January 2011

Witches and fortune tellers join driving instructors in having to declare tax

Everyone curses the taxman but Romanian witches furious about having to pay up for the first time have used 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. Romanian witches from the east and west headed to the southern plains and the Danube River yesterday to threaten the government with spells and spirits because of the tax law, which came into effect on January 1.

A dozen witches hurled the poisonous mandrake plant into the Danube to put a hex on government officials 'so evil will befall them', said a witch named Alisia. 'This law is foolish. What is there to tax, when we hardly earn anything?' she said. '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 in recession. In the past, the less mainstream professions of witch, astrologer and fortune teller were not listed in the Romanian labour code, as were those of embalmer, valet and driving instructor and they used their lack of registration to evade paying income tax.

But under the new law, like any self-employed person, they will pay 16 per cent income tax and make contributions to health and pension programmes. Some argue the law will be hard to enforce, as the payments to witches and astrologers usually are made in cash and relatively small at £4.50-£6.50 a consultation.

Mircea Geoana, who lost the presidential race to Mr Basescu in 2009, performed poorly during a crucial debate and his camp blamed attacks of negative energy by their opponent's aides.

Geoana aide Viorel Hrebenciuc claimed there was a 'violet flame' conspiracy during the campaign, saying Mr Basescu and other aides dressed in purple on Thursdays to increase his chance of victory. They continue to be seen wearing purple clothing on important days, because the colour supposedly makes the wearer superior and wards off evil.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1344940/A-curse-taxes-Furious-witches-Romania-cast-spells-government-pay-state-time.html#ixzz1AMOeW2Zc