The government’s policy statement in Parliament on Sunday included a series of measures and goals in order to implement its proclamations, which include rising tax exemption thresholds, abolishing the controversial ENFIA real estate and tackling the humanitarian crisis.
As such, the Ministry of Finances will focus its efforts on combating systematic tax evasion. According to a report in Sunday’s print edition of To Vima, the Ministry intends to seize undeclared assets.
The Financial and Economic Crime Unit (SDOE) will be tasked with investigating the lists of account holders, such as the infamous Lagarde List, the Lichtenstein List and the list composed by the Authority for Combating Money Laundering. Additionally, the government is to form an internal customs auditing bureau in order to tackle tobacco and petrel smuggling.
The PM also announced changes in income and real estate taxation on Sunday. Mr. Tsipras spoke of a uniform and progressive tax scale, without exemptions and asterisks, with the brunt of taxation falling on high income earners. Furthermore, the tax-free threshold of 12,000 euros will be introduced and the government will register assets in Greece and abroad, so that it has a clear impression of the taxpaying capabilities of taxpayers and businesses.
Amongst the other initiatives announced by PM Tsipras are measures and settlements for outstanding debts towards the State and insurance funds. For this purpose the government will introduce a settlement of up to 100 installments for the payment of outstanding due and – more importantly – it will abolish custody for non-payment of debts towards the State.
The Alternate Minister of Finances Nantia Valavani is expected to further clarify the new tax initiatives (particularly the asset register) and measures over the next few days. Government sources have told To Vima that only real estate assets will be included in the register, provided that they are accurately documented.
