Love Comes at a Price

June 14, 2001 8:11 am EST

ASHGABAT (Reuters) - Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazov has come up with a scheme for topping up his impoverished republic's coffers -- making foreigners pay a cool $50,000 to marry his citizens.

Under a decree from the Foreign Ministry to embassies in Ashgabat, foreign would-be spouses must pay the state insurance company, supposedly to support any children of the marriage in the event of a divorce.

Turkmen males have for centuries paid a "kalym" or bride-price to marry, but it was never compulsory.

An Ashgabat registry official told Reuters Turkmen girls were especially popular with Turks, Iranians, Britons and Germans.

The payment is applicable to both men and women, but it is more common that foreign men take Turkmen wives.

-- Anonymous, June 16, 2001

Answers

I've heard of a pole tax... what would this be called?

-- Anonymous, June 17, 2001

Poleaxed?

-- Anonymous, June 17, 2001