“We will proceed to tackle tax evasion with concrete initiatives, measures and digital tools, which you will hear on Saturday in the Prime Minister’s speech at the TIF, and not with wishful thinking. It is also my personal challenge – and this four-year period will be the main priority of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance. I want tax evaders to hear that we mean absolutely everything we say: Digital tools are not right, left or center, they will allow us to take very important steps and in a few months, not five terms, we will have very concrete samples to show writing. In collaboration with AADE, which already in the summer moved with specific checks and more checks compared to previous years”.

These remarks were made by the Minister of National Economy and Finance, Kostis Hatzidakis, speaking today in the Plenary of the Parliament in the context of the debate on the bill which integrates the European Directive 2021/514 on digital platforms.

“Citizens”, he added, “are tired of big words, they want MPs and ministers who deal with the specifics, propose solutions and lead the country to results. This is what the Greek people are asking of us, to be a serious, measured and effective government. By following a European, modern and common-sense path, with a result-oriented path, we will succeed. And especially in the issue of tax evasion, we are not only determined but also doomed to succeed and we will succeed.”

Referring to the bill, Mr. Hatzidakis emphasized that it is a first step in that direction tackling tax evasion, as it pursues three things:

– Exchange of information between member states on VAT and income tax. “I remind you that due to the efforts made since 2019, we have reduced the so-called VAT loophole by approximately half. You don’t say it a bit, but the effort must continue”, he emphasized.

– Collection of information about transactions made through digital platforms. “The government, regardless of the European Directive, had moved in this direction in previous years and for this reason we can already collect around 600 million euros per year from these platforms, while previously we collected 60. A fact that also shows the size of tax evasion “, the minister said, pointing out the penalties provided by the bill for those who do not cooperate: fines of up to 500,000 euros and interruption of their presence in the market for the platforms, account closure, withholding of payments and fines for users. He also underlined that the government will take an additional initiative on the way of taxing the income from this particular market, seeking on the one hand to ensure that there is no unfair competition and on the other hand to not undermine with excessive measures the way in which the short-term rental market operates, which covers significant tourism needs of the country.

– Accelerate it interconnection of POS with cash registers which – emphasized Mr. Hatzidakis – is the “flagship” of the arrangements for tax evasion while it is also a self-commitment of the government in the context of the Recovery Fund. “I say this to all concerned, so that they know that we have no room for flexibility. We will do everything in our power to the interconnection to be completed in the first months of 2024 because, among other things, the country will lose money if they don’t connect,” he said. He also highlighted the penalties provided for offenders: fines of up to €200,000 for POS providers and up to €10,000 for businesses with inappropriate POS.

The Minister of National Economy also made a special reference to the arrangements for TAIPED, responding to the opposition’s objections. Particularly:

* Regarding the pre-contractual control of contracts by the Court of Audit, he noted that the judges of the Court themselves, through the Union, positioned themselves positively through a memorandum stressing that this control is not required by the Constitution. “It is not mandatory, but we do it. Do you want us to go back to the previous regime?’ he wondered.

* For the possibility of TAIPED to proceed with movements through the Stock Exchange: it is a horizontal regulation aimed at TAIPED having more weapons, greater flexibility and ensuring maximization of the benefit for the State. Addressing SYRIZA in particular, the minister raised the question: “When you were the government, wasn’t PPC in TAIPED and the Stock Exchange?” Are EYDAP and EYATH the same? For the ELPE that you say the government will reduce the participation of the State, didn’t you start an initiative in 2018-2019 to reduce the participation of the State? Wasn’t that denationalization? Now did you like the idea? I wonder if we are in the same country and if you are the same party. I hope, when you elect a leader, you will return to more normal levels, although you always fall into exaggeration and demagoguery”.