Taxation in Greece

Two of the pledges former alternate minister of finance Tryfon Alexiadis had made before the government reshuffle, concerning changes to road tax and the heating oil benefit, appear to have been shelved, although it is possible the latter will go ahead.

It is doubtful whether either the road tax reductions or the changes in heating allowance proposed by former alternate finance minister Tryfon Alexiadis will come into effect.

A ministerial decision allowing citizens unable to accept an inheritance for tax reasons to cede property instead of paying inheritance taxes was expected to be announced in the near future, the ANA-MPA news agency reported on Thursday.

The state will cease repossessions of properties with a taxable, or "objective," value up to 300,000 euros on the condition that they are the debtors' main residences, Alternate Finance Minister Tryfon Alexiadis claimed on Thursday, although the country's creditors are certain to oppose the plan, while the ministry has issued guidelines to tax authorities regarding how to safeguard the state's

Taxpayers can get rid of any paper receipts they have collected so far this year, according to statements by Alternate Finance Minister Tryfon Alexiadis on Friday.

The phenomenon of appropriating state land is huge in Greece, according to figures submitted in Parliament yesterday by Alternate Finance Minister Tryfon Alexiadis.

Even local authorities have been found to have usurped state land, while in Attica alone eight out of 10 state properties have been breached by private parties.

After standing empty for 18 years, the building that was previously used as a warehouse by tobacco company Keranis on Thivon Avenue at Rendi, close to Piraeus, will get a new tenant in the form of the Finance Ministry.

Alternate Finance Minister Tryfon Alexiadis admitted on Friday that more taxes will be imposed saying that “Of course there will be a further tax burden on 2016 incomes, but it will be fair and proportionate from a certain income level upwards”.

Angry Greek farmers have expanded their protest action against the government’s planned pension and tax reforms by blocking more highways and through the closure of a border crossing to Bulgaria. On its part, the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) government is making concerted efforts to keep its composure and is persistently asking for dialogue to open.

Labor Minister George Katrougalos, Rural Development Minister Evangelos Apostolou and Alternate Finance Minister Tryfon Alexiadis are holding a press conference on farmers’ tax and the social security system.