----- Original message -----

From: "guven incirlioglu" <>

To: <>

Sent: Tue, 30 May 2000 15:18:19 EEST

Subject: end of the story


Dear Monika,

For the last time, I was at the consulate this morning exactly at

10:00. At 

the visa section, I gave the guard my name, and told him that Mr.

Gevrenov 

knows about the situation, and that I came for a visa. He told me to

wait 

outside. After waiting for exactly an hour, I went to the main gate,

rang 

the bell, and gave the secretary my name (once more) over the intercom.

And 

while the gate opened for a car, I slipped in, and I directly went to

the 

officials inside the building. I told them my story once more (they did

not 

have my name on the list in front of them) and kindly asked them to

call the 

counsel, and these were my words: "Please tell him that Monika from

Plovdiv 

called him yesterday morning". She went in and came back in 5 minutes

and 

told me this: "I am sorry, but Mr. Gevrenov cannot help you. You must

go to 

the regular visa section"  I went back there, waited for another 20  

minutes, together with other people who were there for hours (and some,

for 

days) For the last time I talked to the guard, this time with an inter-

preter 

from Turkish to Bulgarian, and he said there is nothing he can do. So

that 

was the end of the story.

Please note this: I am not necessarily asking for a kind of priviledge,

and 

I never mind waiting in line with others, as long as I know that I will

apply through regular channels. But I may be the only person of Turkish

origin with a specific purpose, among transport companies, truck driv-

ers, 

people from other East European countries, and mainly some go-betweens 

fluent in Bulgarian and Turkish that take care of visa problems for all

kinds of commercial applications. So I guess, they did not know what to

do 

with me, and just like other few touristic attempts, they kept telling

me to 

come back the next day. In the end, after spending four mornings at the

consulate, there is no way that I will go back there and try again.

I hope you don't get me wrong, and I do not want to complain. I know of

exactly the same disinterested attitude within the Turkish official 

bureaucracy, not necessarily with bad intentions, but simply genetic

for this part of the world.

And last, if it is fine with you, I am working on a piece somewhat

related 

with this situation, and I would like to send it over there to be

exhibited. 

It will be printed on several sheets of A4 paper and it may require for

you 

to find a suitable frame and glass to be hung. It appears that I can

send it 

on Thursday or Friday, via FedEx or UPS, so that you may receive it as

early 

as possible. I hope things will work out in better conditions in the

future, 

and I'll try to call you over the phone this afternoon. Take good care,

best 

wishes, Guven.

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