The lawyer named safe ways to thank doctors and teachers
On March 29, criminal defense lawyer Alexei Zatsepin explained where the line lies between ordinary gratitude and a bribe.
"If money, a certificate, or an expensive item appears before treatment, before an appointment, before an assessment, or during the resolution of a specific issue, it looks like an attempt to influence the outcome. Even the phrase "this is for you to..." or a hint of special treatment makes the situation risky. For example, when a patient brings an envelope "for being admitted to the hospital faster," or parents hint with a gift "for a good grade," such a "gift" may be considered a bribe," he said in an interview with Gazeta.Ru».
The expert emphasized that trouble is possible both for the one who gives the gift and for the one who accepts it. He clarified that if help has already been provided and an assessment has been made, then small gifts are usually perceived as gratitude. An envelope with money, expensive gadgets, large amounts of money, and regular gifts may arouse suspicion.
According to Zatsepin, public schools and hospitals have stricter requirements than private schools. He recommended thanking in a way that doesn't look like payment for a service: thanks, a letter to the supervisor, an inexpensive gift. It is noted that official charity accounts or foundations should be used for financial support.
On February 21, Airat Gibatdinov, a member of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture, proposed increasing the allowable amount of gifts for employees of educational, medical and social organizations from 3,000 to 9,000 rubles. According to the senator, the amount of 9 thousand rubles is "modest and quite reasonable" for a gift to a teacher or a doctor. The explanatory note to the draft notes that the current limit makes employees afraid to accept gifts.
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