No VAT discrimination for Greeks
The government has officially withdrawn its plan to impose a 23 percent value-added tax on all-inclusive holiday packages booked within Greece, and keep it in the 13 percent bracket instead, just like the packages booked from abroad.
Finance Ministry General Secretary Ilias Plaskovitis told state radio NET on Wednesday that this package ?is addressed to foreigners; as we know, there are not many Greeks who opt for the all-inclusive packages, but if they happen to be Greek they cannot be exempt of course.?
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos admitted to government deputies yesterday that Athens will probably ask for new negotiations with its creditors in order to revise this year?s target for the reduction of the budget deficit.
He also confirmed that the government is reviewing the entire privatization program owing to the fact that stocks have been sinking on the local bourse and the effect this has on the value of state companies listed on the Athens Exchange.
