The program to connect POS to cash registers has gone very well, the vast majority of businesses have connected, and the country will not lose resources from the Recovery Fundgiven that the specific project is a milestone for funding from the Fund, emphasized on Wednesday in the Parliament o Kostis Hatzidakis.

Speaking to the Plenary of the Parliament about the amendment which, among other things, reduces the fees for small transactions via POS for specific sectors of the market, the minister said that the detailed data on the number of businesses that were connected will be announced on Wednesday, while at the same time he spoke of an extremely difficult program. “Some didn’t believe it, they thought it wouldn’t happen. Some didn’t want it because some are comfortable with tax evasion. The State dealt with it with determination and the few who have not connected will face fines, because among other things it is a matter of fair competition with those who have connected”, he emphasized.

The amendment of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance was submitted to the draft law of the Ministry of Justice on the spatial restructuring of the courts and includes four strands:

1. 50% reduction in fees imposed by banks, providers and cards for transactions under 10 euros in a number of market sectors such as kiosks, mini markets, taxis, convenience stores, etc. “The market rightly protested because the fees on these transactions were proportionately excessive. We contacted the banks, cards and providers and sought to make the relevant arrangements themselves. Some responded, some didn’t. In any case, at some point the debate ends and we proceed to impose the 50% reduction in fees. It is something that the market treats positively, we had to do it and we did it“, emphasized Mr. Hatzidakis. He also noted that similar regulations are applied in other EU countries, while he reminded that there is also the possibility of payments with the IRIS system, which has zero fees for citizens and much lower fees for businesses.

2. Obligation of providers to give POS and in businesses registered with Teiresias, under specific conditions. “If we remained inactive, we would send the message to all the others that they should not comply with their obligations in order to escape from the tax authorities.“, noted the minister. The regulation concerns about 3,000 companies, while in case of violation, a fine of 1,000 euros per company will be imposed on the providers.

3. The possibility is given to the public works maturation unit of TAIPED to be active – as the corresponding services of other states already do – in other EU countries or third countries. Mr. Hatzidakis pointed out that a similar regulation has been adopted for other public enterprises such as the Attica metro which is already active outside Greece. “Projects are implemented within the framework of the Cohesion Fund or the Recovery Fund or other special EU programs in countries of the wider region in which the respective organizations of France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands participate. Why not Greece? It is also no secret that there is a multi-billion program for the reconstruction of Ukraine, financed by the EU. Why should the other countries be present and not Greece?“, he asked in response to a related question. Moreover, regarding the regulation of the Ministry of Justice that excludes from the pre-contractual audit the companies in which the State does not have a majority, Mr. Hatzidakis emphasized:I don’t know how reasonable it is to apply to privately controlled companies the rules that apply to public companies».

4. Removal of immobility of vehicles with proportional payment of traffic fees. This is a regulation that is repeated every year, and it mainly concerns cars used in the tourist sector. “It is reasonable for them to pay monthly fees, just as it is also reasonable to have severe fines for those who might want to circumvent the provision“, underlined Mr. Hatzidakis.