Tirol
More questions than answers regarding new rules softly announced this week in Tirol for Ukrainian recipients of Grundversorgung. McDonalds cards, a visit to Natasha, what to read/listen.
It’s been a busy few days but in a weird way, like I look back and cannot exactly explain how I spent the past 48 hours. I’ll try to summarise as best I can what I do and don’t know about Tirol at the moment, as there have been mixed messages and what the government refers to as “miscommunication”. I am not there on the ground so I only have the information I am told from those on the ground in Tirol, both volunteers and refugees themselves. First, I will recap what happened and what we know so far, and second, I would like to share the story of one family, from a woman who wrote me yesterday (I will call her “Maria”), and gave me permission to share her story, to give a personal context to the ups and downs of working with state social services in this particular region.
On Monday, I saw in a group Telegram chat which we have for volunteers and employees alike (and I really do not know who is who within) information, copied from an email that was sent out in German, explaining changes to be conveyed to Ukrainians receiving Grundversorgung (basic social payments including sometimes state-provided housing or rental subsidies). These changes were instructions from TSD (Tiroler Soziale Dienste). We were told in the chat that we can and should relay them further to Ukrainians in Tirol so that they may be aware and act accordingly.
The new information stated that all trips — whether leaving Austria to go abroad or even leaving Tirol’s “borders”, must be announced ahead of time and “cleared” with TSD. They also stated that those in organized housing may not find their rooms waiting for them upon their return. There was a list of approved reasons to travel (such as a family funeral). Furthermore, letters would be going out to inform all of those with paid jobs that they would have to look for alternative housing, and would have a grace period of three months. The shock for me (and other volunteers in the chat) as we first read this was the idea that one must even inform of, say, a two day trip to Vienna. Many Ukrainians travel to the embassy here to renew passports, etc. It is common practice across Austria for those receiving social payments (this is the key factor here) to have to declare all trips abroad (but not within Austria) and money is deducted for that period. That was less surprising.
So I put what I learned on Twitter, as I explained to the Ukrainians, I am a firm believer that taxpayers in Austria should know what is done (and how) with their taxes. I also, of course, conveyed a Russian translation of the new rules I had been shown in German to my Telegram group, which is composed of Ukrainians living across the country. A representative of the local government reached out, and said basically (my words, not his) not to worry. I also separately texted to him the German language copy-paste from the TSD email we had all seen in our group chat. I did not receive a reply. He did post a public reply:
Then the media picked up on this, and started to ask questions. Two articles came out yesterday, one of which is behind a paywall and for which I was not contacted. I spoke with the journalist who wrote the other one, which you can read here.
The problem is, no matter what the politicians say, what happens on the ground is another matter entirely. I was already contacted yesterday morning about a mother who has a job and went to Italy for a few days with her kids, and returned to be told she must leave her room in social housing (in this case a hotel in Tirol) within 24 hours. She managed to rent an apartment for one month, as friends were leaving, but it will cost her 80% of her take-home pay. Not sustainable.
So clearly something is amuck. It is clear to me and the Ukrainians that when you take something from the state (ask for Grundversorgung), you have to play by their rules in return. Unfortunately, these rules differ from federal state to state, so even within Austria, and the enforcement of such rules is often left to the dreaded “human factor” of how the manager(s) on the ground at a particular location are going to enforce them. When this news broke a few days ago, there was panic, as Ukrainians heard “we cannot leave Tirol and cannot go back to Ukraine to visit relatives anymore”. Of course, that isn’t true, we hope, but it is what they heard. What is true is now leaving carries risk — you have to ask permission ahead of time, and your room might not be there for you when you get back. In most parts of Austria, when you live in organized, social housing, you cannot leave for more than 3 days. In practice, of course, some people manage to leave for longer, but only after they come to agreements on the ground with their direct managers, and how to do this in practice is anyone’s guess.
With that as an introduction, I would like to share with you the story of one family in Tirol, which Maria (name changed) wrote to me yesterday. I am only translating. The words are hers. I have removed names and places for privacy reasons.
I will try to keep it short.
We lived in the House (name removed), me, my two daughters, and my mother who is 63 years old and handicapped. She is deaf and has cancer. At that moment, she was undergoing chemotherapy. Then they told us that the hotel is closing down, and we must either move or rent housing ourselves. They said that on 22 December and we were told we must move out by 31 January. So we had three weeks to find housing. I am not working, because I am going to German classes and my mom needs help and the kids. The TSD employee knew my situation with my mom and the doctor’s recommendation, that my mother needs to live not in communal housing due to her health. The employee said we must find housing ourselves, that the housing which TSD could offer us would not be appropriate for my mom given her health issues. They said they could not help us. You know it is unrealistic to find housing for four people with no job. The center for deaf people helped us, they found housing for us. We moved.
On 1 February, we were supposed to receive our social payments, they told us to go to the Hotel Europa and receive them there. My mom had another chemo session for that day. At first we came to the Hotel Europa to receive our money and there was employee (name removed). They had told us on the phone the amount which we were to be paid. They said €237, but I was supposed to receive €297,50 and €197,50 for the two children. When I asked why that amount, he left without answering me. I stood, waiting, and mom was sitting there too. It was time to go to the hospital, I was supposed to take my mom there. I went up to him and explained that my mom has to get to her chemo appointment, and that we cannot be late for it. I said I will come back in 10 minutes. He said ok. When I returned, he said that unfortunately there is no money. The women (name removed) who was supposed to give them to us left. I asked, why? But I told you I would come back in 10 minutes, she was here, and now she is gone? He said wait she will come back after 1pm. I waited, and in the end he said she isn’t coming and will come tomorrow. And because the apartment they found for us isn’t in Innsbruck we would again have to spent money on transport and my mom can’t travel after chemo.
In the end, this all continued for 4 days. I travelled to get the money and each time something happened. Then we were supposed to receive the rent compensation and basic payments, and TSD did not pay for two months. Thank you to our patient landlord, who patiently waited for the TSD payments. I asked Diakonie if they could help me figure out when the payments would be paid. What we, my kids and my ill mom, were supposed to live on during that time. We had run out of money. The money was paid 2 months later. But then this month, again only I received a payment of €272,50 just for me, no money for the kids nor rent. I still have not received any rent compensation nor money for the kids. I wrote TSD, but they have not replied yet.
I have been living in Tirol since 11 March 2022, I never left. I am learning German, my children are good students. I will finish the last A2.2 German course and will get a job. But how can we survive when you don’t know if the payments will come or not? When I was in a panic and looking for housing and came to TSD to ask for help, they simply shrugged their shoulders and said they cannot help with anything. It was really unpleasant, they basically just sat across from us and giggled. And I left with tears in my eyes and didn’t know what to do. Thank God kind Austrians helped us. Therefore I do not count on any kind of help from TSD, and am trying very hard to learn the language and get a job. I have to provide for my entire family, therefore I need to find a good job with a good salary. So that I could pay for our rent and we would not be left hungry. Some employees of TSD don’t want to answer my questions. There was one employee in House (name removed), who said that if we want to speak with him we must speak English very well otherwise he won’t talk to us. But of course some people didn’t know English, so they could not communicate.
As for the new news, I don’t understand it. Is that only for those living in social housing or is that for us who are living in private accommodation but receiving rental subsidies too? My daughter is 14 and under Ukrainian law I have to go apply for an ID card for her, a Ukrainian one. In order to do this, I have to go to Bratislava. They do not make the IDs at the embassy in Vienna. So now I do not know what to do? Also some relatives wanted to give mom a gift and let her take a little holiday on her birthday, and now we don’t know if we can go anywhere. I wrote my question to the consulate in Innsbruck and asked them to explain what our rights and obligations are. For now it is all just a newspaper article and they said we do not have any official document, yet.
I would also like to add to my story. When they told me to immediately look for housing, I wrote to the local mayor. And his assistant invited me for a meeting. Of course I went with a local Austrian, he really helps us Ukrainians with a lot. Particularly when it comes to looking for housing. I am very grateful to him. The assistant listened to us, paid attention, but unfortunately said it is not something they are responsible for. When the Austrian who accompanied me asked the question, about empty housing in Innsbruck, which he is quite upset about. She said that the empty housing can only be given to those who have been living in Tirol for 4 years. So if we live in Tirol for 4 years, then we can file an application for this housing. I do not know if that is really true or not, but it was said. My older daughter does not want to go home. She was accepted to a gymnasium, and she passed the MIKA-D test. She has big plans to study in the university here. She would like to become a lawyer. She sees her future here. I would like to give the best to my kids, just like any mother. The war and I it isn’t clear what is with our own home, therefore I personally would like to integrate here and work and pay taxes. I also would like to thank the center for the deaf, which has helped us since the very first days, and still helps and supports us. They are really amazing. If only everyone worked like they do…
At the moment I have €33 in my wallet and do not know how to get through the next two weeks. I sent TSD a first email on 17 July and another one today. No reply…
(I sent Maria a €50 Spar card yesterday, which of course does not change the basic miserly mathematics nor payments not being paid in full nor on time).
I went to visit Natasha and family yesterday. She is recovering from her bicycle accident. I did what I know is crossing a line, but as I said to them, I cannot live with myself if I did not do it. I told them, bluntly, in my opinion, and it is not my decision to make, they would be better off going back to Ukraine. Pasha went to school for a year, with mixed attendance, and barely learned any German. He is not active in sports or anything organized. He is at the age (16) at which he needs to get some kind of an education and learn a profession. I asked if the accident wasn’t perhaps a sign, after a very long and challenging winter, that where they are now in Lower Austria is not the right long-term solution. I promised to help with whatever they decide, but I see that they have been through so much, and it is simply not the right environment for them to receive the long-term, ongoing support they require (psychological, medical, educational, financial). In the process of making some inquiries in Ukraine, I also came across this very personal interview Natasha gave to ABC News last summer, already living here. She hasn’t seen it. I didn’t show it to her. But I would recommend you all watch the video to try and understand what we are dealing with, the consequences of such unimaginable horrors, which changed a family forever in an instant. For now, one step at a time. Get better. I gave Pasha the €60 the farmer didn’t pay them on the day. He will give it to his friend who is going back to Ukraine next month. Most of his friends have gone back, he says. I asked him to show me a report card. He didn’t even get one, he says.
I came home last night to 40 (!!!) McDonalds cards which have all been sent to Ukrainian kids across Austria on a first come, first serve basis. What a great mid-summer treat.
5 more Spar cards out today too. My little surplus of cards is nearly out but still going. I will be asking for more cards soon, but one step at a time. Currently receiving several requests from pensioners in a Salzburg “hotel”.
Recommended reading & listening:
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