As it continues to administer pay cuts, tax hikes and slashed pensions on workers, pensioners and the poor in a desperate bid to keep cutting expenses, the Greek government is way behind a schedule to meet its targets for auditing individuals and companies for possible tax evasion, Finance Ministry data has shown.
With tax evaders costing the country more than $70 billion, and the government under pressure from international lenders to go after them, tax inspectors conducted only four audits of large companies in January against a target of 330 for the first six months of the year. Only 33 self-employed professionals were inspected, way behind a goal of 1,200 for the year.
A total of just 279 million euros ($365.4 million) was collected in overdue debts from individuals and businesses in January. The total owed to the state exceeds 50 billion euros ($70 billion) although Greece and its lenders believe the majority of this can no longer be collected as many firms have gone out of business.
Even worse, statistics showed that 25 percent of businessmen and self-employed aren’t even filing tax returns showing how much they were supposed to collect in Value Added Tax failed to submit their regular VAT statements.
Media reports earlier indicated that the country’s financial crimes squad (SDOE) is in disarray after two of its former directors were accused of failing to check a list of 2,062 Greeks with $1.95 billion in deposits in secret Swiss bank accounts for possible tax evaders.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
