In full growth is the This year’s extensive control plan implemented by the competent authorities to the country’s popular tourist destinations, with a view to The fight against tax evasion and the protection of public space. The audit grid covers thousands of seasonal businesses, from hotels and rooms to let’s to taverns, beach bars and beach concessions, creating a close surveillance environment throughout the tourist season.

Checks have already started from the first weeks of the summer season, with the Groups of AADE to visit organized islands, continental destinations and coastal areas. They now use modern media: tablets, portable scanners and direct access to business profiles through the Mydata system. The crossings are made in real time, while businesses showing inconsistencies or indications of income concealment are under further control.

For the first time, the tax enforcement measure for those businesses that have a history of relapse or are considered high risk is also implemented. AADE activates the provisions of the new Code of Tax Procedure, which allows for tax collection in advance in cases of documented suspicion of tax evasion, even before filing a statement. Thus, businesses that are used to “disappear” after the tourist season, without paying taxes and VAT, are found in time.

The company can be checked twice: initially from a mixed step that conducts general inspection and then by a second workshop of the YEDE or a different region, based on the data already collected. Each visit is accompanied by a recording of all transactions so that they are directly comparable to tax data.

Particular emphasis is also given to Control of businesses operating on beaches. Supervision covers both legal issues – such as concessions, licenses and Natura areas – as well as practical issues, such as arbitrary umbrellas, bars or other constructions. The concessions are now done exclusively through the eauctions.gsis.gr platform, while 6,500 contracts are already active and more than 1,200 new concessions are under auction.

In the meantime, only in the two -month May – June, the Treasury accepted more than 3,000 complaints for illegalities and arbitrariness on the beaches. Of these, 2,667 were submitted in June and another 300 in May. More than half have already been checked, with fines reaching or exceeding 60,000 euros.

The geographical distribution of violations shows that East Attica (396 complaints), Halkidiki, Magnesia (189), Rhodes (164) and Preveza (133) are in the first place. Violations mainly concern arbitrary constructions and blocking free access to the sea.

Offenders face strict administrative measures: fines of up to 60,000 euros, Acts of immediate removal, interruption of business, cash registers sealing, as well as exclusion from future beach concessions for up to 10 years. For illegalities in excess of or without concession, the fine is set as four times the legal exchange, while the penalties are increased in the event of a recurrence.

The controls are already carried out by mixed scales, but drones for aerial photographic surveillance are now being recruited in areas such as Mykonos, Paros, Halkidiki, Crete and Rhodes. The material is integrated into the Mycoast application, which is a valuable tool for both citizens and audit authorities. The use of satellite images and digital mapping extend the controls to even the most remote beaches.

The Ministry of Finance states that it now has the necessary institutional and technological arsenal to ensure legality, protect public space and equal treatment of all businesses. Focus controls, tourist accommodation and beach concessions will intensify as August approaches, with the aim of eliminating the images of nonsense that characterized previous summers.