Katerina Papanatsiou

The Independent Authority for Public Revenue last year confiscated bank deposits of state debtors totaling 124 million euros, according to data that Deputy Finance Minister Katerina Papanatsiou presented in Parliament on Monday.

Taxpayers who use their credit and debit cards for transactions will have to wait until March for the Finance Ministry to issue its decision on the various state lotteries and prize draws. Deputy Minister Katerina Papanatsiou noted however that although the decision will not be released until the end of March, the draws will include card transactions conducted since January 1.

Plumbers, electricians, bars, restaurants and cafeterias are among the professional groups that will be forced to install card terminals and start accepting credit and debit card payments by the end of June.

There has been a significant increase in the number of vehicles with foreign plates in Greece, as their owners are able to avoid paying this country's high road tax and fines.

The Finance Ministry has finally issued a list detailing the types of electronic spending - credit and debit cards, e-banking and money forwarding - that will count toward the income tax discount granted to most taxpayers as of this year.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reshuffled his cabinet late on Friday, removing ministers who have expressed opposition to the austerity measures and economic measures demanded by Greece’s international creditors, but retaining his ministers of finance and foreign affairs.

The new Greek government was announced by spokesperson Olga Gerovasili, Friday at 10pm. Minister of Education Nikos Filis was left out of the new government, paying the price for his open disagreement with the head the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop of Athens Ieronymos.